Two Letters Re: Big Rig Survival

Mr. Rawles,   
I enjoyed reading R.E.V.’s letter on preparedness for truckers. My husband and I are truckers as well, and we have done a lot of thinking about what we would do in a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI situation. Being 500 to 1000 miles away from home means a whole different set of requirements for a “Get Home Bag”. R.E.V. did a great job, but I feel there are a few more points that should be touched on.

The first is how quickly diesel can become scarce. Having seen how rapidly truck stops in a given area can be drained of fuel if a delivery is delayed, or if demand becomes higher than normal (such as during a snow storm, especially when a large number of trucks have been shut down by a storm – once the roads open again all the truck stops in the area very quickly run out of fuel due to increased demand), we are very aware that we might not be able to drive our rig home in the event of a large disruption of the fuel supply. We have to be ready for the possibility that we will have to abandon our rig and our load and try to make it home on foot.  This brings up the question of when it is appropriate to abandon the rig. There is a major ethical question involved for us because we are company drivers, and the truck doesn’t belong to us. We are responsible for an expensive piece of equipment and a valuable load, and if there is any chance things will return to normal after a period of time we will have to account to our company for that equipment, and may find ourselves on the hook for the cost of tractor, trailer, and load if we abandon it when we could have stayed with it and “waited out the storm” or perhaps gotten it to one of our company’s secured yards. So the first question we have to ask ourselves is “Is this a short term event, or a long term TEOTWAWKI event?” We also have to ask ourselves if we can safely deliver our load before we head for home, or if things are dire enough for us to abandon that responsibility – not a choice we would make lightly, people somewhere my be depending on the food we are carrying. We have to look at the situation: How quickly are things deteriorating? If we deliver will we have the fuel to get home? Will delivering the load cause us to risk our lives or loose our chance of making it back home? Should we take the load home with us? The food in our trailer might mean the slim difference between life and death for our family and neighbors.

Once we do start heading home every mile we can push this rig is one more mile we don’t have to walk. We can improve our fuel mileage and maneuverability by dropping our trailer and bobtailing, but if we’re in snow and ice, or very cold temperatures we may want to keep the trailer for the extra weight and traction. We haul a refrigerated (“reefer”) trailer, and if the temperature is cold enough to kill batteries, and we think we might have to stop, we might want to hang onto the trailer – the reefer unit uses less fuel that idling the engine. We can hook jumper cables between the reefer battery and the truck batteries to keep them charged, and run our inverter and an electric blanket to keep us warm. If we do decide to drop the trailer to conserve fuel, we keep a siphon hose on hand so we can siphon out the [dyed] diesel from the reefer tank [or some purchased home heating oil] and add it to our truck tanks. Some states dye reefer fuel red because, just like “off-road” or agricultural diesel, it isn’t taxed at the same rate as on-road or commercial diesel, and the DOT has been known to check tanks for red dye, so we can only do this if we a sure things have broken down to the point that the DOT is the least of our worries.   

The last few gallons in our saddle tanks are unusable, the intake is above about the 10% mark to allow debris to settle to the bottom of the tanks where it won’t foul the filters. Most trucks have this same feature, and there will be plenty of other drivers in the same boat you are in. You may be able to make a deal with another stranded driver by trading a ride in exchange for the last few gallons of diesel in his tanks. Siphon out the diesel and run it through a cloth to filter it before adding it to your tank. Use your best judgement when offing a ride, though. There are a lot of untrustworthy people out here.   As a last resort, gasoline can be run in a diesel engine, just make sure you add a an appropriate amount of 10 weight motor oil to your tanks to thicken it and to duplicate the lubrication you should be getting from diesel. Your engine will run hotter than it should, but it will get you a few miles further down the road. Every 15 miles you get closer to home will knock off a full day of walking.      For a driver, the cab of your truck is your home away from home. Our cab tends to fill up with all sorts of things we will not be able to carry with us when we finally do have to abandon the rig and walk. We keep well stocked bug-out bags under the bunk, and there have been plenty of articles on how to stock a BOB so I won’t go into that. But we do keep an extra plastic storage tub, a couple of heavy duty garbage bags, and duct tape handy so that we can pack up and cache anything we can’t take with us, but might want to come back for later. That empty rig just sitting there in the truck stop lot, or on the side of the road will be a target for looters, thieves, and opportunists – you can’t expect anything you leave behind to still be there later unless you hide it well. Bury it inside the wood line and take note of landmarks, but bear in mind that you may never see it again in any case – don’t take anything irreplaceable out on the truck with you unless you are sure you can carry it home again.   Some of the items in your cab might help other stranded motorists to survive. For example: If you have a separate sleeping bag in your BOB, then perhaps you can roll up your bunk sheets and blankets as a bedroll to give away to that unprepared fellow shivering in his out-of-gas car in the truck stop parking lot, or to trade for something you might need.

Finally, when trying to decide what route to take to get home, keep in mind that people may be abandoning larger cities in droves and the interstates may be parking lots for many miles around any large population center. US highways may be better than interstates, and you may have to go miles out of your way to get around a major city. Go ahead and plan routes and try shortcuts now while things are good so you have an idea which roads you can take to get home when things go bad.  – Truckergirl

 

James,
Today’s post about big rig survival was interesting, but contained this statement about self defense:

“Non-firearm protection for a trucker can be a tire thumper, ball peen hammer, side handle baton (PR-24), straight baton or numerous incarnations thereof.”

In many jurisdictions, it is illegal for anyone other than a badge-carrying police officer to own any sort of baton.  In California, for instance, it is a crime to own a baton [or was last I checked], even if you keep it in your house, and even if you have a CCW permit.  Yes, this is the stupidest sort of law. Yes, you may own and carry a tire thumper or ball peen hammer or baseball bat in California, so long as you do so without criminal intent. Other jurisdictions have no such prohibition.

Also: while many jurisdictions recognize the carry permits issued by other jurisdictions, one must obey the carry rules of the place where you find yourself and carry rules are different everywhere. For instance, Oklahoma is a carry-friendly state, but prohibits carry of pistols larger than .45 caliber. On the other hand, Oklahoma allows transport in your truck cab–only with a permit–of a rifle with a loaded magazine and an empty chamber.  Carry of pistols larger than .45 is allowed in many jurisdictions, but a rifle with a loaded magazine and empty chamber will get you arrested in some places.  

My point is that the author overstated the meaning of reciprocity–one jurisdiction recognizing another’s permit. You must know the law of the place you find yourself or risk the consequences.- J.E.J.

JWR Replies: In additional federal laws, America has a patchwork of city, county, and state laws. The good news is that this means that you can “vote with your feet” and move to a jurisdiction that has the liberty that you desire. But the bad news is that travelers must research these laws before they travel, or travel unarmed. Please don’t contact me with legal questions. I’m not an attorney. Do your own homework, and if need be, consult a knowledgeable attorney in your state.

Letter Re: Zen and the Art of Basic Rifle Marksmanship

Jim,

Thanks again for the great job on your blog.In reading the recent excellent article forwarded by Doc in South Carolina titled “Zen and the Art of Basic Rifle Marksmanship,” a few additional thoughts came to mind.

I recall my father teaching us boys how to shoot at ages 11-12. We used a break-open pellet gun, similar to the Gamo that I now own (now with a scope on it), to shoot at a small target mounted on a pellet trap, which was in turn mounted on a large and thick piece of plywood.  Our instruction was carried out in the dining room of our apartment located on the base at Ramstein AFB, Germany.  Some might just be cringing at the thought of practicing in one’s dining room, but as Doc implied, if you cannot do it safely, you maybe hadn’t oughta be doin’ it, at all.

So it was in our dining room there on an Air Force base that our father, a fighter pilot and an avid rifle hunter, shotgunner, and hand loader, taught us the basic formal shooting positions, which, as described in the article, included prone, kneeling, and standing.  There he taught, as the author suggests, the art of breathing, trigger squeeze, and concentration on the front sight, as well as the creation of stability “triangles” by the use of ones bones (as opposed to muscles) to create structural braces for each shooting position.

However, not described in the article is one of the most useful and stable of all positions, second only to prone, and that is sitting.  That position is begun from standing by plopping down on one’s buttocks at an acute angle to the target, and then placing the elbows forward of the spread knees.  Incidentally, the “formal” sitting position such as we were taught in the USMC, that is, sitting with legs crossed and ankles tucked in under the thighs, is almost useless in a field situation, as it requires a nearly flat surface, a wonderfully lithe and agile body, and time to properly attain.  However, the sitting position as has been used routinely by soldiers and Marines in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam (my war), and by numerous hunters,  is one taken with legs spread and used to create the stability “triangles” mentioned above.  It is useful on flat ground as well as inclines, and can be obtained very quickly.  Of course in a tactical situation, its use could be limited by the necessity to be behind adequate cover, but that is true of all positions.  As the author states, a prone position is favored for its near rock-solid stability, and can usually be obtained behind low cover.  Nevertheless, the sitting position is inherently stable, and much more so by far than either kneeling or standing, and should be considered.  I feel sure that the author is writing in the context, perhaps, of a “running gun fight,” in which plopping down on one’s buttocks is likely too slow to allow subsequent rapid movement, which event favors the kneeling position. However, in that case the squatting, or “Rice Paddy Prone” position might also be used.  But for those times, particularly while hunting, where a relatively quick and very stable position is desired for a really precise shot, the sitting position is an alternative worthy of consideration.

Further, for the best discussion I have ever read or heard, including the excellent instruction that we received in the USMC, see Col. Jeff Cooper’s book The Art Of The Rifle. It is arguably his finest work, this among his many fine writings.  It is not a book about equipment nor hardware. It is about how to use a rifle, and in this respect is much in line with Doc’s article.  It is recommended for shooters of all ages and experience, for there is always  more to learn.  While it is not a substitute for formal “live” training, it is about the next best thing. – Two Dogs in West Virginia Lt.Col. USMCR (ret.)

Economics and Investing:

Higher taxes in Australia: Queensland flood levy ‘crazy’ amid price rises

Dead ahead: State and city pension FAILURES!

QE2, QE3,… The Most Predictable Financial Calamity in History. (Thanks to Siggy for the link.)

John R. suggested this: Paper Money Madness: Inflation-Fueled Economic Growth Does Not Indicate That An Economy Is Getting Stronger

John also set this: Peter Schiff: China to Unleash US ‘Inflation Nightmare’

Items from The Economatrix:

Oil To Exceed $150 A Barrel, “Probably Go Over $200”  

The Day After The Dollar Crashes–A Survival Guide For The Rise Of The New World Order  

Dow Average Nears 12,000 as Tech Stocks Climb  

Headed For Another Financial Meltdown?  

Odds ‘n Sods:

F.G. sent a rousing tale of a Gurkha’s daring chivalrous deeds: “A retired Indian Gorkha soldier recently revisited those glory days when he thwarted 40 robbers, killing three of them and injuring eight others, with his khukuri during a train journey. He is in line to receive three gallantry awards from the Indian government.”

   o o o

The latest concern is sulfolane contamination of water wells: Tainted Wells in North Pole Spur Alaska Officials to Issue Garden Alert. Note that such contamination is suspected in other states.

   o o o

Cheryl N. spotted this: “Buy A Gun” Google Queries Hit All Time High, And Other Off-The-Grid Economic Indicators

   o o o

Also at the National Geographic web site: New Aurora Pictures: First Big Show of 2011.

   o o o

The folks at Ready Made Resources wrote to tell me that they’ve just received a special purchase of 10 Litton AN/PVS-14 night vision monocular/weapon sights. These are autogated, Gen 3+, and come complete with case and head mount. These have original factory data sheets. They are priced at just $2,895, while supplies last. We have one of those monoculars here at the ranch, and it is amazing.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 32 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) 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.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 32 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Zen and the Art of Basic Rifle Marksmanship, by Doc in South Carolina

So, you’ve decided to prepare for WTSHTF because you want you and/or your family to be safe. And to more adequately defend your safety, you’ve read every survival book and blog ever written. You’ve stockpiled non-hybrid seeds, bought a brand new shortwave radio (while still paying for your smart phone with some sort of “survival” app, no doubt), stacked fifty pound bags of whole grains about your bedroom as both emergency food and added fortification, and bought the most expensive and elaborate firearms recommended by whichever “Mall Ninja” managed to bombard the ill-informed public with the most convincing (albeit speculative) argument. I jest…(kind of). Stockpiling necessary supplies is an outstanding idea (I’m doing it). And SurvivalBlog.com is a reliable source of valuable information in a world where reliability and value of information is rare. However, what I’ve noticed about most “survival” sites, excluding SurvivalBlog, is that everyone out there seems to have the best idea for what weapon you should purchase to protect you and your family. If you want to trust the opinion of a stranger with little weapons training and even less knowledge of you and the situations you may potentially encounter, that’s your call. But I’m not going to do that. I can’t pretend to know what you may personally experience in the future. Some situations call for not only different weapons, but the employment of completely different tactics all together to address them. I can’t cover them all in 1,500 words. I won’t even try. What I can tell you is, as a former U.S. soldier, I know a lot about what it’s like to have to work with what you have (ever cleaned an M16 with a battle buddies tampons? I have…). Which is why in both my weapons collection and my preparedness I follow one simple philosophy, “Any weapon is better than no weapon.” Don’t misunderstand, weapon selection is very important. For example, I don’t recommend a .22 LR as an anti-personnel weapon. Great for small game, but grossly inadequate for self-defense. However, I’d gladly plink at an assailant with a “poodle-shooter” than throw rocks at them. My confidence (and lack of desire to scour the globe looking for the most over-priced H&K USP or Winchester Model 70 I can find) comes from one simple asset:

TRAINING! My point here is you aren’t going to die if you can’t afford a registered select-fire M16 with an ACOG and an assortment of accessories you aren’t trained to use and will most likely never be in a situation to need in the first place. And you don’t have to pay top dollar for a competition grade over-priced Model 1911, for crisis or grid-down defense, a less expensive G.I. style one will work, trust me. You also don’t need a venerable arsenal of weapons. Nothing wrong with having a large number of weapons (I do), but there is an old adage in the shooting community that says, “Beware the man with one gun, as he probably knows how to use it.” And that is why I’m writing this. Lots of people are more than happy to tell you what or how many guns you “need.” But you only need one person to tell you how to use the one you have. And that information is far more valuable than a shopping list written for you by someone else. A dozen people can tell you to go spend $1,500 on a Kimber Tactical Warrior Elite with Crimson Trace laser grips (or whatever). Unless someone teaches you to use it effectively, it’s just an expensive paperweight. And you end up just as dead.

Now, why am I qualified to talk about marksmanship? Well, I’ll expound on that a little bit. I am an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Army. I served as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician. Like all soldiers, I am Infantry qualified. Rifle marksmanship is paramount. Also, as an EOD tech, I am trained in handgun employment and long-range, big-bore rifle shooting, as well. And my credentials as an “expert” hang proudly on the dress uniform that I used to wear. And I have trained over 200 hard-charging, fighting men and women who use the guidance I gave them to defend themselves, others, and (to some extent) American freedom in countries across the globe. If that doesn’t qualify me, I don’t know what does. So, (since you’re still reading), let’s get started. First, as I can not presume to know what kind of weapon you have. I’m going to discuss rifles. Because, rifles are the most versatile of the three primary options you will have. Also, this will be covering the basic use of a rifle with iron sights. The fundamentals are basically the same for use of a hunting weapon with an optic (scope), but scopes get dropped, bumped, and damaged with real world use. So, they may not always be your option, even if you have them. Also, as a side note, most popular hunting rifles aren’t equipped with factory iron sights, so if a hunting rifle is all you have, then protect that optic! For a diagram of parts for your rifle, see your owner’s manual. And remember, you will have to practice this before TEOTWAWKI.

Firing position – There are three major firing positions: standing (off-hand), knelling, and lying (prone). I recommend the prone position to start, as it is the most stable. However, it is not always an option in a real situation. Kneeling is a rapidly obtainable position if on the move, and more stable than off-hand (standing). But, we’re going to shoot prone for starters, until you get the hang of the basics. Stack two or three sandbags forward of your body, halfway between you and the muzzle of your weapon. These won’t be there WTSHTF, so don’t rest your weapon on them. Only your hand, if you must.

Now, you have your rifle, your sandbags, and a stable firing position.. There are a few more things. We call them “fundamentals.” They must be practiced religiously until they become muscle memory.

Sight picture – Proper sight picture is important. Whether it’s standard, notch-type sights, or a military-style “peep” sight. We’re talking fundamentals, though. So, whatever your sights look like, you must align the front and rear sights, first. Practice this anywhere (unload the weapon and keep your finger off the trigger. If I have to tell you to follow basic firearm safety, you probably aren’t smart enough to survive a socioeconomic collapse…). Focus on your front sight. That’s the key. Now, lets add the target. When you sight your rifle, your front and rear sight should be aligned, with the front sight covering your target. Your front sight should be clearly in focus, and your target should be a blurry silhouette. If your target is in focus and your front sight is blurry, you’re doing it wrong. But, don’t touch off that first round yet. There’s more.

Breathing – I know, you breath a million times a day without thinking about it, right? How ‘bout you chill out and maybe you’ll learn something today, “High-speed.” Notice that breathing while shouldering your rifle moves the sights? See, there’s a reason this is part of the fundamentals of marksmanship. You can’t stop your breathing. Breathing moves you off target, though. That’s okay. We can work with that. It’s simple, you have to fire when your sights are on target. That should be around the middle of your breathing cycle. Inhale deeply, let it out until you’re on target, hold it, fire, exhale, repeat. If you hold it too long, you’ll fatigue and begin to shake, so practice it. You’ll get the hang of it. One more fundamental.

Trigger squeeze – That’s right… “squeeze.” Yanking or jerking the trigger will pull your shot off target. Misses are a waste of ammo. It only takes three muscle to squeeze the trigger properly. Not your whole arm. You want to apply smooth, even pressure straight back on the trigger. Don’t worry about speed. It’ll come with practice. Remember, “Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.” Also, don’t wrap the trigger with your finger. Use the first pad of your finger only. And don’t anticipate the shot. It’ll be a more accurate shot if the discharge surprises you.

That’s about it, folks. It’s easy. And accurate rifle shots not only defend your home, but can put food on your table. Seek formal training if you have the option. Shooting is best learned with an instructor correcting your errors as you make them. Also, you cannot learn to fire a rifle accurately by reading. It takes practice. Lots of it! Shooting is also a perishable skill. If you shot at cans with your grandfather 20 years ago, and haven’t picked up a weapon since, you probably need to brush up. But don’t worry. If too much trigger-time could kill you, I’d be dead. Happy shooting. Once, you’re all stocked up as Mr. Rawles has instructed, and are proficient with your weapon, you can just sit back and enjoy TEOTWAWKI.

Big Rig Survival, by R.E.V.

Virtually everything you use, have or need with the exception of the air you breath has at some point in its life been touched by a truck (aka Big Rig). Without the estimated 3.5 million truck drivers, America as we know it literally stops.          

In an emergency, whether it is natural or man made, preparedness for the truck driver is paramount. A Hurricane Katrina like situation or a economic crash as portrayed in JWR‘s novel “Patriots” allows the prepared truck driver to not only survive but possibly prosper and contribute to the revitalization of our homeland.          

Big Rig Survival can be broken down into three parts. 1) The Driver; 2) The Tractor and 3) The Trailer.          

Obviously, no matter what Big Rig combination we are talking about, without a functioning driver it is simply a free standing store open to anyone who has the determination to get in and take not only the cargo, but the cab contents as well.          

You need to take care of yourself. Physically, mentally and spiritually. If you vapor-lock because you are in poor shape, severely over weight, a heavy smoker or just plain lazy you are not going to get your cargo where it is sorely needed. You won’t get home to any loved ones you may have waiting for you and worst case, depending on what you are hauling you may hand over to an enemy not only items they sorely need, you give them at least a psychological victory if you are found by the side of the road incapacitated.          

There are many good books and sites that talk about getting into shape or staying in shape. I will only touch on some important, possibly neglected items that can easily affect a professional driver.          

The number one thing a big rig driver can do to help themselves get and stay in shape is to get off their fat butt and walk. (Preferably not in sweats and cowboy boots.) Walking is the best all around exercise one can do. Start with short distances and expand from there. Park your rig in the back of the truck stop and walk to the convenience store. Not only will it help your health, your rig is less likely to get damaged.          

If you are having trouble getting motivated, then get a dog. Not only do they need exercise they provide security for your tractor.          

Take care of your teeth. It may not occur to you but teeth care can save your life. An abscessed tooth, especially in the upper portion of your mouth puts infection millimeters from you brain. Ignoring it is not only painful, it has killed truck drivers in their bunks while they sleep. If you have all of your teeth, make sure you brush and floss. It is cheap insurance that pays tremendous dividends. If you have a cavity, get it taken care of. Yes it is cheaper with dental insurance but even if it has to come out of your pocket, what is cheaper in the long run. If you have problems with your teeth or what’s left of them look to the future and what enables you to survive. Get them pulled and depending on your pocket book and insurance replace with dentures or implants. Keep this in mind though, there are pros and cons for either prosthetics. Implants require additional surgery and chances for infection. Dentures act as a covering while healing but need adhesive to act totally like the teeth they are replacing. Either make it much easier to eat.          

For those drivers who are type II diabetics, take extra care to get it under control through diet and exercise. If you do then when the medicine is no longer available you can survive since you won’t need it anymore. If you don’t it can turn into type I and insulin not only can derail your career, it will kill you when insulin is not available.          

If you wear glasses or contacts, get or keep an old pair of glasses or two. If buying new, look to getting sports or the old “birth control” glasses the military issued or some of us wore in our youth. Looking good is not a survival prerequisite.          

If you have a hernia that you’ve had for years, get it taken care of now. If your knees are bad, look to getting replacements. The prosthetics have come a long way and last much longer. Make sure you request a “sports knee”. They are closer to what god gave us and allow more freedom of movement. It is a major investment in yourself but freedom from pain medication and the ability to move in a Schumeresque situation makes it worth it.          

Mental conditioning is valuable too. As a professional, you know how to keep looking around as you drive: forward, dash left mirror, forward, right mirror and so on. You know how to watch for four-wheelers who don’t care that you can’t stop as fast as they can or can’t stand being behind you. Now you need to start expanding your situational awareness. Depending on the nature of the future emergency you may find yourself driving in, hijacking is a very real possibility. Practice scenarios in your mind for evade and escape, defensive maneuvers and offensive tactics. Relive some of those experiences where you wish you had no money cares or concern for your commercial drivers license(CDL). You may have to actually do them in a time of lawlessness. Even though real world application may not be practical at this time, visualization is a tool widely used by both the military and civilian law enforcement. Athletes of all schools use it also. If you can see it and believe it you can realize it.          

Road rage and getting mad at everything and everybody only hurts you. We can only be responsible for ourselves. Letting others dictate our reactions to the world puts us in a poor survival mode.          

Prayer can be your most effective tool in getting on top of any situation. Whether you believe in Him or not, He believes in you and you can talk to him 24/7/365. Kneeling is not mandatory nor is closing your eyes (especially if you are driving). You can just talk. You can yell. You can say anything you want to him and he will listen. Oh, by the way. Take some time to listen. He does answer.          

Music can be a powerful tool in your physical, mental and spiritual health. Numerous studies and papers plus experience show that music affects your heartbeat, blood pressure, alpha, beta, delta and theta waves. Why do you think high school and college sports bands play while the athletes fight? The music inspires man to greater heights.          

Tractor Survival can take many forms. The number one rule in having a tractor survive in any future catastrophe is that as of 2011, have or buy a pre-EGR engine. Typically this means nothing newer than 2003. The reason being is that exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology is the number one cause of diesel engine problems. It is an attempt by the EPA to reduce pollution. 2004 was the first federally mandated year for EGR followed by 2007 and then [further changes in] 2010. Stricter levels of various gasses brought about selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology and today we have diesel particulate filters (DPFs) that requires diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) which means that if you don’t use the DEF your DPF will foul-up faster and your engine will de-rate. Fuel mileage has decreased since the mandate of EGR technology and overall it has hurt rather than help.          

Two ways to achieve this goal of having a truck that will have as few problems as possible: One is to buy a glider kit and put a pre-2004 engine in. It is cheaper than buying new but still around $100,000. (New will cost you $130,000-150,000.) The second is to buy a pre-2004 truck and have your engine rebuilt by a quality shop. For information on gliders and quality shops, become a “Friend of Kevin Rutherford“. His web site, LetsTruck.com has info, forums and links to products that can help your tractor last and make money while we can. Kevin Rutherford is also offering a class on big rig maintenance and repair scheduled for the spring of 2011. Being able to do your own minor repairs and preventative care is paramount to surviving where others will not.         

As far as security for yourself, your tractor/trailer and load, please listen carefully. As far as federal law goes there is no prohibition concerning carrying a firearm in your cab. Most, but not all states allow carrying of firearms in your cab also. 37 states have reciprocal agreements concerning concealed weapon permits (CWPs) with at least one other state and several honor all. Check Google for numerous information sources. Trucking companies may have prohibition on carrying firearms and there is no law saying they have to let you carry.          

As to what type of weapon, there are numerous experts that can help or advise far better than I. My simple rule is, find something comfortable and become expert in it.          

Non-firearm protection for a trucker can be a tire thumper, ball peen hammer, side handle baton (PR-24), straight baton or numerous incarnations thereof.          

Security for your tractor can be found in man’s best friend. Don’t think bigger is necessarily better. A Rottweiler can be a great deterrent but also due to it’s size be a detriment. There is only so much room in your sleeper. Plus they need a lot of food. What you are looking for is a warning system. There, a Jack Russell Terrier or miniature Dachshund are perfect. Maybe they can’t eat an assailant but that’s your job, not theirs. They will key off you and let you know if an undesirable has approached your home on wheels. One highly dismissed aspect of dogs is one your life could hinge on. Listen to them!!! You may be fooled by a person but they can’t be. Their overall senses dwarf ours and if they don’t like a person, it is 99% because that person has a hidden agenda, is plotting harm to you and yours or is just plain evil. Dogs do not lie.   Watch any post apocalyptic movie with or without zombies and you see numerous configurations of protection for a tractor/trailer. Most you cannot use on our highways at this time. Being able to work now and still be ready for what comes will take planning and providence. Remember, you will in all likelihood be on the road when TSHTF. Preparation is the watch word for survival.          

Most truckers with sleepers carry only a minimum of equipment, clothing and food. A G.O.O.D. bag you carry in a side box or under the bunk should be an absolute minimum. Being able to survive for extended lengths on the road is important to getting back home or getting to somewhere you can be safe. A little ingenuity can provide massive dividends. Setting up an inverter provides you with electrical power to use a refrigerator, microwave, crock pot and/or a electric skillet. The one drawback is you can run your batteries down overnight if you are not running the truck. One way to avoid that problem is to use a solar collector to trickle charge during the day. Small solar collectors can fit on your dash while larger ones can be mounted on top of your sleeper and provide more than a trickle.            

An APU (auxiliary power unit) can be invaluable to survival. Make sure you have one that has extra power outlets and can recharge your batteries. If $8,000-12,000 is a bit out of your reach at first, an inexpensive generator can also do most of the same things for just a few hundred dollars.          

MREs, self-heats and dehydrated foods allow you to survive but being able to eat something fresh or nicely cooked is possible with the above accouterments. Don’t forget you can cook on your diesel engine too.          

Of course tools to do repairs and other work are a must, Once you know the most common things that need doing on a big rig you can put together a tool kit or box. The main rule to follow is quality is worth the extra money. Buying “Made in China” is just asking for failure when you most need an item to work. Craftsman, Crescent, Husky and Kobalt are all top of the line tools. Snap-on, Mac and the like are up there, too.          

A little known fact is you can run almost any air tool off your big rig’s air tank. Plumbing a fitting off your air tanks is not difficult. You can even run right off your glad hands if need be. You may have to up the cutoff level on your compressor but 125 psi will not be hard to do.          

Setting up you tractor/trailer with all these additional items will cost you in weight which could affect how much you can haul which in turn could affect your pocket book. You have to decide for yourself whether the time has come for a change in priorities.          

Depending on the nature of the catastrophe, these are indispensable items:

CB Radio – preferably with Single Side Band (SSB). A multi-channel scanner; a GPS unit either hand held or dash mounted; a mobile ham radio. These and other items can be helpful and allow you to find others who might be in a similar situation.          

Your trailer and load security depends on the type of trailer you haul. Dry van, flat bed or reefer all do different things. Reefers can haul what a dry van can but also can haul produce or frozen food. You can also reverse the normal cooling and turn it into a 48 or 53 foot low heat oven. The down side is it takes diesel to run it. Depending on availability, the fuel needed to run the reefer could get you just that much further.          

A flat bed can haul irregular shaped items or oversize things like poly tanks and multiple Hummers. All trailers have their good and bad points. Securing a load on a flat bed is different than in a dry van or reefer. You can lock the doors on van trailers while flatbeds, even when tarped leave the load exposed to theft or damage. With a van trailer you can fortify the walls and rear doors for added security.          

One absolute rule you should always follow to give yourself the best chance at surviving both now and in the coming catastrophes. When it comes to tires for both tractor and trailer, virgin rubber will always beat re-caps, period. Do not run re-capped tires anywhere on your rig. Legally you can’t on the front wheels (“steers”) but anywhere can lead to failure at the most inopportune time. Virgin rubber, unless made wrong in the factory will always outlast re-caps. Get the highest number ply tires you can get. The greater the number of plies the better, since a high-ply tire will be less likely to succumb to piercing and road damage.          

Have a plan for what and where you can go when things go bad. If you are an [unscheduled] over-the-road (OTR) driver, you might think about have multiple caches across this nation. Develop relationships with like minded individuals or trusted friends and leave pre-thought out items with them.          

There is so much more detail that could be gone into but if you have learned anything in this short dissertation, then the intent has been accomplished.          

If you are on the road when things go wrong you must decide if you are going to hunker down or head for a relative safe place. If you are prepared, physically, mentally and spiritually you can survive. Remember to always look up, so you won’t fall down.

About the Author: R.E.V. is a retired police officer/firefighter/paramedic who currently drives a big rig around our nation.

Avalanche Lily’s Bedside Book Pile

I’ve had another busy week of homeschooling, re-organizing the house, and several days of fun outdoors in the snow, so I haven’t done as much reading as usual.

Here are the current top-most items on my perpetual bedside pile:

  • Today, I finished watching Volume 3 of the Homesteading for Beginners DVD series. This particular DVD covers cooking with long term storage foods, home canned meats, vegetables, and self-raised dairy products, in great detail. Erin Harrison is very down to earth, warm and friendly as she demonstrates, with easy-to-follow steps, how to cook her all-natural recipes. As you watch the video you feel as though your right in the kitchen with Erin and her five children. The only sad part is that we can’t partake in the tasting of all of those wonderful foods they are making. Erin’s videos make me want to get outside and get my gardens in and get myself into the kitchen to do more cooking and canning. I highly recommend these videos! They are wonderful to watch with your children. You and your children will learn so much from Erin and her family. You’ll want to watch these videos over and over.
  • I’m more than halfway through reading The Rancher Takes a Wife. It is a sequel to the book Grass Beyond the Mountains, by Richard Hobson. (Which I reviewed in a previous column.) Rich is an excellent writer. He has given me many chuckles in his accounts with working with his cattle, horses as well as his relationships with his bride Gloria and his fellow ranchers. One lesson that women can learn from this book: when participating and helping your husband in his line of work, obey his directions! It may save your life and keep you from too many heart-pounding incidents. (Rich’s wife Gloria almost got herself killed on at least three occasions by angry cow moose protecting their calves, because she didn’t obey Rich’s command to get down and be still and quiet. Instead she used her own judgment, leapt up, screaming and began running away. A mad mother moose always charges creatures in motion when protecting her young. Luckily, their dog Bear came to the rescue each time and warded the moose away from his people.) These books are a bit survival-related because it carefully illustrates how, in order to operate a cattle ranch 200 miles from the nearest town, one has to plan very carefully for food, tools, clothing and cattle needs for four to five month stretches of time between provisioning trips to town. Rich had some very good descriptions of their shopping trips from which preppers could glean. Some of the conversations between Rich and his fellow ranchers remind me of the relationship that James Herriot had with his boss Siegfried Farnon, in the All Creatures Great and Small book series. I am enjoying Hobson’s books. If you’re interested in cattle, horses, dogs, wildlife, ranch life interactions and stories of people testing their stamina then you’ll enjoy them, too.
  • The next item on my reading agenda will likely be Joel Rosenberg’s nonfiction book Epicenter 2.0: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future.

Letter Re: Making Swimming Pool Water Potable?

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James Wesley:
I’ve got a question for your readership, the answer to which may save a great number of lives.

The metropolitan Phoenix area is one of the half-dozen most populous in the United States. Between 3 and 4 million people live there. The river which Phoenix was built on (the site of a previous civilization whose population vanished around 500-600 years ago) is now dammed upstream, and usually bone dry. The population is mostly dependent on grid-up well-pumped or canal/dam-diverted water for its entire supply.

Some 3.5 million people are going to be in a world of hurt if the grid goes down.

One bright spot: given the high temperatures, swimming pools are very common, even in working-class neighborhoods. A hike to the top of any of the several urban park mountains in the city reveals dozens or hundreds of backyard swimming pools scattered everywhere. These manmade cisterns will presumably hold several thousand gallons of water even after a SHTF event.

If the grid goes down, these are going to be the best available source of water for millions of people.

What is the best low-tech, grid-down way of de-chlorinating, or otherwise rendering drinkable, swimming-pool water?

Thanks! – K.F. in Phoenix

Letter Re: Railroad Routes for G.O.O.D. Ways Out of Town

Jim,
While you and other readers have touched on some of the safety and legal concerns regarding the use of railroad tracks as G.O.O.D. routes, I’d like to add a couple of points.  

My wife and I live in a city surrounded by major rivers, so my plan assumes that in an emergency situation it will be difficult – if not impossible – to get a vehicle across any of the bridges out of town.  Thus, we have to be prepared to travel roughly 100 miles on foot. A couple of years ago, as I was planning the route my family would take to our retreat area, I realized that old, mostly inactive railroad lines offered a far more direct route than the country roads that we would otherwise utilize.  I tentatively included travel along these tracks as an option.  Last year, I committed myself to a practice evacuation to assess firsthand the strengths and weaknesses of the route I’d selected and to make any necessary adjustments.  Sure enough, what looked easy enough on a map proved to be far more challenging on foot – especially the railroad tracks.

As you might imagine, given the proximity of the rivers, much of the terrain we’d have to cross is frequently muddy and difficult to negotiate.  From that perspective, the railroad tracks would seem to be a God-send because they are built to remain high and dry above even flood-stage waters.  But as I considered more carefully I decided that while the tracks might offer some conveniences, their potential dangers made them unacceptable as part of our bug-out route.  First, being elevated above most of the surrounding terrain makes you an easy target.  Second, the elevated sections of track are sometimes eight to ten feet above the normal ground level, and the embankments beside the tracks are exceptionally steep and covered with gravel; it would be very dangerous to jump off the tracks in these places if some threat required taking cover.  Third, even with a map of out-of-service rail lines it may be impossible to predict what has become of the tracks since they were abandoned.  At one point the map indicated that the tracks would provide bridges to cross over some wetlands, but when we arrived there the bridges had long since disappeared and we had to go nearly a mile out of our way to get around a lake.

So the lesson I hope my fellow readers will take away is that you should at the very least put eyes on any railroad track you’re considering as part of an evacuation plan and carefully consider whether that specific track is really suitable for they way you might use it. – Rollie D.

Economics and Investing:

Reader J.B.G. sent this great video clip about silver market: Off-the-Grid Economic Indicators

Speaking of silver, I noticed that spot silver dipped below $27.40 per ounce on Monday. Buy on these dip days!

G.G. flagged this: An Ugly Side Effect of New 1099 Law: More Tax Evasion.

The latest from The Daily Bell: ‘Super Stagflation’ End Game?

To stop “Global Warming”, they say: Brits Ponder Fuel Rationing. (Thanks to Chris T. for the link.)

Lisa L. sent a lesson in how not to do offshore banking in Panama: American Arrested in Mexico for Carrying 150 Gold Coins; Coins Seized. (And he still must answer to U.S. authorities about exceeding the $10,000 cash or equivalents reporting limit.) So much for “financial privacy.”

Items from The Economatrix:

Silver Investors: Pick Your Poison  

The Next Great Bull Market Of The Decade  

Debt Bondage From The Economic Treason Of Banks

UK:  Soaring Petrol Prices Will Damage Economy

Odds ‘n Sods:

Kathy N. sent this: Postal Service Eyes Closing Thousands of Post Offices. (This could have an impact on our readers with small town retreats who run mail order businesses–or those who plan to.)

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Reader Jack C. sent this: Police suspended for failing to show up during storm. Jack asks: “If public safety employees won’t come to work during inclement weather, then how will they react during a TSHTF scenario?   I think we already know the answer to that question but this is interesting nonetheless.”

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K. L. wrote to note: “Ron Hood of Hood Woods and The Woodmaster fame has been diagnosed  with a very aggressive form of prostate cancer. I read about this in his latest issue of Survival Quarterly magazine. According to the message, the Hood family will be in hiatus with publishing  their magazine and maybe other projects as Ron battles this illness. I have no doubts that Ron will pull through with his usual style and grace. However, all of the readers of SurvivalBlog may want to include Ron, his lovely wife Karen and their son Jesse in their prayers.”

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Montana Lawmaker Proposes Bill Where Feds Need Permission from Local Sheriff to Arrest Citizens or Seize Property

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F.G. and Ben L. were the first of a dozen readers to mention this: Government ponders the need for 140 million MREs for New Madrid earthquake zone. The RFI‘s synopsis: “The purpose of this Request for Information is to identify sources of supply for meals in support of disaster relief efforts based on a catastrophic disaster event within the New Madrid Fault System for a survivor population of 7 M[illion] to be utilized for the sustainment of life during a 10-day period of operations.   FEMA is considering the following specifications (14 M[illion] meals per day)…”

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"We are soldiers who devote ourselves to arms not for the invasion of other countries, but for the defense of our own, not for the gratification of our private interests but for public security." – General Nathaniel Greene

Notes from JWR:

The queue for Round 32 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest is now full. There will be two entries posted each evening between now and January 31st. Any entries received this week will be posted and judged in Round 33, which begins on February 1st.

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Today we present another two entries for Round 32 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) 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.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 32 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.