Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, 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 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 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, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 29 ends on July 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.

Starting Your Desert Backyard Garden, by Colleen M.

One of the first things many preppers begin with is starting a backyard garden.  Those of us living in desert regions have additional challenges when beginning this task as water conservation and soil quality are serious issues in desert regions.  It’s tempting and easy to become overly dependent on technology when reclaiming the landscape around you, but with patience, trial and error and a little bit of skill you can use low tech strategies to build good soil and have a productive, water friendly garden.  The first two seasons of backyard gardening in the desert can be frustrating but are crucial.

Your first steps should be picking the location of your garden.  If possible, have some areas in sun and other in at least partial shade.  Even plants listed as preferring full sun may have trouble with the harsh glaring sun in the desert.  If it isn’t possible to have partial shade, this is all right; strategic planting can help to create a partial shade environment in later seasons.  You may also want to keep your garden in a part of your property where it isn’t immediately obvious.  This will help with privacy and operational security (OPSEC), should your garden expand to a level that may attract attention.  Our garden is between the house and the garage and only parts of it are visible from the sides where are neighbors are, but OPSEC is not our primary concern since having a garden is not unusual where we live.

Be open minded about what you will grow in your garden, particularly the first two seasons.  As you improve your soil quality and modify the amount of shade available, you’ll be able to produce a wider variety food as time goes on. 

Begin with raised beds.  These are very easy to make, using logs or lumber, create a square or rectangle of the length you like.  Frame height is a matter of preference, but from my experience, at least six inches is necessary.  My frames are a foot high now, and I’m very pleased with that height.  The raised bed will help to keep your precious topsoil in place and are a huge, inexpensive asset.  Some people recommend lining the ground with plastic or cardboard to separate the soil you are adding from the sand beneath.  From my experience, this is not necessary and, if you use plastic, may limit what you plant later on.  For this reason, I simply put the frames where I want them without lining the ground beneath.  It’s best to run the raised beds horizontally along any slope, rather than vertically, since this will prevent water from pooling at the base. 

Once you’ve laid the frame, it’s time to look at soil.  In desert environments, the soil is obviously sandy and lacks organic material.  The obvious place to begin is with a compost bin or pile.  Commercially available composts are often made to last, but homemade compost piles are also very easy to make.  The critical issue with composting in general is that there is a mix of carbon and nitrate based material.  In the desert, you may have to water your compost to keep it moist depending on your location and how you are composting.  Regardless of this, home made compost will take time and most likely will not impact your soil quality the first season, but this is an excellent resource for future years and will be essential WTSHTF.  I would recommend starting your compost immediately, but keep in mind that it will be a learning process. 

Compost from the store is probably your best option for adding organics if you don’t want to wait for your compost to finish.  Look for options that are inexpensive and organic heavy.  Some commercial products contain a high amount of wood chips.  In sandy soils wood chips do not break down as quickly as would happen in moister, organic rich environments, for this reason, the products that are heavy in wood chips may not be the best choice for your soil.

Once you have your compost or soil from the store, the temptation is to dump it in the raised bed with out mixing in some of the sand.  Sand still does provide nutrition to plants and should be mixed in to the soil so that the soil your first season does contain these minerals.  It is most practical to grow plants that have some tolerance to the region you live in and should you want to expand your garden after TEOTWAWKI you’ll need to be able to do so with minimal time spent waiting for composting to finish.  This will impact the type of plants that are initially grown this first season and in new beds, but that’s fine.  Many usable plants can be grown in this mixed soil.

Grow plants from seed, starting appropriate plants indoors.  Growing from seed is important for practice, it is cheaper and allows you to ensure that the plants are appropriately hardened before you plant them in the garden.  Plants started in the store are in a more artificial and protected environment than you will likely have in your garden and are less likely to survive.

 Pick a variety of plants but focus on high quality foods and medicinal herbs.  A few herbs for seasoning are nice, but you are going to spend your precious resource, water, on this garden so planting food that will nourish your family and keep your stomachs full should be the focus of your garden.  Looking for plants that seem to grow well locally can be a good place to start.  Tubers, tomatoes and peppers often grow well in the particular environment where my family lives, so I made sure to include these plants in my garden, but every year I try to introduce a new type of plant. 

Being aware of water needs extends to the type of plants you select.  To get a balanced variety of food, you’ll probably need to include plants with moderate water requirements, but plants that need constantly moist soil may not be the best choice.

A week or so before you move your plants outside to the garden, you should begin to harden the plants.  In areas with harsh sun or high winds, hardening the plants will make them much more likely to survive.  All that is entailed in hardening plants is leaving them outside for increasingly long amounts of time.  This strengthens the stalk and leaves. 

Once you’ve planted, it’s time to see what is working and what isn’t.  At this point, many gardeners run soil tests to see what is needed to improve the quality of their soil.  This is fine and commercial additives are available, but most likely will not be WTSHTF.  For this reason, I don’t use commercial additives; I rotate what I am growing in different years, a microscopic version of traditional crop rotations.  We’ve also gotten used to eating what grows well in our garden.  My family believes that if we adapt to our environment now, this will pay off later.

A problem that we have is lack of shade.  The first season is a great time to look at long-term strategies for shade.  There are products you can buy or make to create shade, but my favorite method is to plant fruit trees or bushes to create future areas of shade in the garden.  The leaves can also be used in the compost to help create better soil in the future.  This way, we are getting as much benefit as possible.  These trees may also help prevent topsoil loss, but in our backyard garden, the raised beds are far more effective.  Once you have established areas of partial sun, the variety of plants that will grow well in your garden will be expanded.

When picking fruit trees, it’s important to look at whether or not the tree is self-germinating.  In general apple and plum trees tend to require a germination partner.  Look at the specific type you are planting though, because this is a general rule, not a hard and fast rule.  This is not a problem, it’s just very important to ensure that you provide more than one plant if that is what you choose to use. 

Water is a major issue in your garden.  It might not seem like one now, but even if you have a well, it’s best to look at ways to conserve and utilize the water resources you have available.  The easiest way to start is with a rainwater-collecting barrel.  If you have gutters, it’s very easy to install a commercially available rain barrel or make your own.  This is not a sufficient water supply for your family should there be a crunch and you can’t consider this water to be potable without filtration or treatment, but it is a good step for your first season.  Eventually, especially if you have the space and are living at your retreat, you may want to look at creating a more expansive system.

Finally, it’s always a good idea to supplement with foods that grow outside your garden.  We have a small acreage where cacti flourish.  Prickly pear cacti actually produce quite a bit of usable food.  The pads, called nopales, can be harvested and the spines stripped with a knife.  Harvest the youngest pads, particularly in springtime or early summer and cut them up after stripping the spines.  Boil the chunks (called nopalitos) for about ten minutes and drain the water.  Grocery stores in parts of the southwest sell nopales, so you can try it already de-spined before you go through the effort of harvesting them yourself.  Nopales are a great source of fiber, vitamin C and may help regulate blood sugar.  Some people eat nopales raw, but I find the sticky texture very unappealing, which is why I recommend boiling them first.  After boiling and draining the water, they taste a little bit like green beans.  Though we aren’t from this region originally they’ve become a mainstay in my family’s diet.  Prickly pear also produce an edible fruit that is high in vitamin C and tastes a little bit like kiwi.  It’s always easiest to use what is readily available and requires no sweat equity or additional watering on your part. 

Two Letters Re: How Long Can You Tread Water?

Mr. Rawles:
I have been reading your site for over two years now and have two of your books. I have a growing concern on what is going on in the world and working to prepare myself and my family for what the future may or may not bring us. I eagerly await the next day postings of SurvivalBlog each and everyday and look forward to what your other readers bring to the table. I took great interest in “How Long Can You Tread Water?” by Tom S. but more in the initial response. I am sure there will be more responses such as Andrew B. and I want to write about what I see as a growing trend from the readers on your site. A lot of readers, regardless of preparedness level, seem to disregard the greatest of battlefield multipliers, Murphy’s Law. Readers need to be careful that they are not planning for just for the optimal situation. You could have a three year food supply and the one hundred year flood could wipe out your crop and flood your stores forcing you to become a refugee. Would you loot to stay alive then or watch your family starve?

I read this site and people responses to controversial letters such as the current one and the one a while back about the guy planning on being a potential ‘good guy looter’. It seems to me, from people responses, that a lot of readers are not planning for contingencies. I want to talk about Tom’s article. I agree with most of what was said except the use of cars after an EMP attack. However what he said about gangs is dead on.

Gangs are experts with a capital E in stealth, deception, human manipulation and brutality. They are very organized and are lead by some of the smartest and most charismatic people around. As a former military man I can tell you the military has a huge gang problem. From the infantry barracks to the Los Angeles class nuclear submarine. Currently with the two wars going on the Crips and Bloods, Latin Kings and every other gang has been signing its members up for the military so in two years they can bring back combat and medical experience and infantry tactics to the gangs. This was covered in depth on the History channels Gangland. Gangs are not to mess with despite what some readers may think. Plus they have been empowered over the years by our week justice system that actually enables these vermin. I spent six weeks in New Orleans after Katrina. Any one of these punks would not have hesitated to walk up to one of my soldiers and shoot him in the face. They have no regard for human life.

After the SHTF gangs or some other body (rogue police perhaps) may or may not take over the cities. After they use all the resources up they will expand out but they will start to weigh effort versus resources versus payoff. How many losses can they take to rival gangs survivalists, army units, functioning police etc before they lose power or influence. Eventually they will expand out until their supplies collapse, they can’t loot anymore or start taking casualties due to starvation or lead poisoning.

As for attacking a Homestead or a retreat your best defense is to go undetected. What will it take to go undetected? At what price? You may think your farm house in the middle of nowhere is safe and defensible. Is it defensible against a man sneaking around at night with a can of gas and a match? A man who is willing to sift through the burnt embers to find a few cans of Spam that survived the blaze. That’s all it would take to destroy a retreat. A match and a can of gas. Maybe a distraction or two. Why take the structure intact when I can destroy it and search the rubble. I don’t need a platoon or a company of thugs. Maybe the thugs will just light the field on fire or the barn with the livestock. You got a rifle and 30 cartridges? The thugs will take your retreat with 31 guys with knives.

The world will be very brutal and you will be asking yourself to do things unfathomable. Will you be willing to kill to not be discovered? Killing men, women and children? Is your family worth more? Raiders or government military might question the family you let go during a recon patrol next thing you know you have a battalion at your door step. That may be the reality we would be living in. Neighbors killing neighbors just for OPSEC alone. Who knows? It will be hell on earth. As we have seen in the past it doesn’t take much to turn decent people into monsters.

BTW you railhead tracked vehicles to save on fuel and keeping the tracked vehicles from tearing up the roads. If a Bradley or Abrams turned out on a highway, the pavement would be ruined. Those stationed in Germany in the 1980s and 1090s will remember REFORGER exercises. We took tanks hundreds of miles cross country with only minimal break downs. Usually we still had 95% of our firepower by the end of the exercise. If we didn’t there was hell to pay. They are American made and the best. Regards, – Andrew S.

 

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I wanted to respond to Andrew B.’s recent post about the excellent EMP article (How long can you tread water?) Andrew stated “If fuel is still being produced then law enforcement will operate and food production will not be halted and the point is moot.” I am a police officer in a very large department in the northeast. I know for a fact that our elaborate communications system and our fleet of emergency vehicle’s are not protected from an EMP attack. We would no longer be an effective service to our citizens in the event that we lost these crucial assets. Many of my co workers visit this site on a daily basis. We have had several casual conversations at work on how we would respond to a large scale/long term catastrophic event such as an EMP attack. We have all come to the conclusion that we would eventually have to return home to our families in order to protect them from the violence that would exist during the aftermath. I highly doubt that many U.S. law enforcement agencies have any plans in place to handle a large scale event of this magnitude. My advice to you all is to pray for the best and prepare for the worst. – M.A.

Letter Re: Equipping my My G.O.O.D. Boat

A couple of points bothered me about Doug W.’s plan to G.O.O.D. with his boat. First, his idea about using logs to keep out intruders in his retreat anchorage has one possible flaw. According to Murphy’s Laws of Combat, anyplace too difficult to get into will be too difficult to get out of! Next, I am no sailor, but I’ve been around the ocean and I’ve seen some horrific storms. I saw no plan for riding out bad weather, unless these bays are very sheltered. Next is that unless tied up close to shore, sitting at anchor in the middle of a bay puts you in sight of anyone who stumbles upon that same stretch of water, whether on land or by sea. Also, is that especially during calm water periods, water is a notorious reflector of sound, so sound discipline and light discipline is an absolute must. I saw no mention of camouflage or concealment.

The biggest drawback to his plan I see is that the limited number of people in his group would put a tremendous strain on all to keep watch, do necessary daily chores, plus any emergency is best handled with more eyes/hands available.

A couple of suggestions too – one would be to put some caches of food/ammo/fuel/medical supplies in these areas he plans to retreat to. If his bays are as remote as he thinks they are, then any cache should remain available and undisturbed. Another would be a small library on some of the natural resources that could be harvested to increase/supplement diet, such as kelp, shellfish, and land-based flora/fauna in that region. Plus the tools to harvest those resources.

All in all though, I am sure that Doug has a huge step up on most of the web fingered/toed northwesterners.

Sincerely, – Greg in Arizona

Economics and Investing:

Randy K. zeroed in on this: Wall Street Apocalypse: The World of the Doomsday Investors

G.G. flagged this: Implications of a Likely Economic Downturn

Items from The Economatrix:

Job Creation in Private Sector Remained Weak in June

So What Exactly is a Double-Dip Recession?

Mortgage Rates Scream “BUY” But Who’s Listening

State Pension Woes Only Worsening

ISM Says Service Sector Growth Slows in June

Post Office Announces 2-Cent Rate Increase. (Say, what happened to that much-touted deflation?)

Pump Prices Head Down Again After Holiday Weekend

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"These are times that try men’s souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." – Thomas Paine, from his essay “The Crisis”

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, 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 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 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, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 29 ends on July 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.

Equipping My G.O.O.D. Boat, by Doug W.

I live on a 42 foot boat and have no access to a land-based defensible position here in the northern part of Puget Sound. In order to prepare my wife and me for the coming collapse we have had to adapt and innovate our thinking a little bit. Because we live on the water between two major population centers we believe that when the stuff hits the fan people will not be viewing an escape by water as a viable alternative they will be looking for land with house and food so we may be under the radar for awhile which will allow us to sneak away quietly and find a quiet little bay up coast to hunker down in and prepare a defensive positions. With some sustainability via the ocean and the game that we will be able to shoot in those isolated bays and coves.

Most people that we talk to have no idea how to run a boat let alone know how to handle all the mechanical and marine functions. The areas we are looking to retreat are only accessible by water or plane and the bays we will be in you could not land a plane in. So our only real threats will be pirates or other boaters. Up and down the coast are various small villages that will be abandoned because they are not sustainable without food and fuel brought in on regular basis some of these villages may be a place of refuge for us if we need to but I envision us in an uninhabited bay or cove. Once we get to the bay we fell a bunch of trees and drag them to mouth of the bays to act as a barrier for any boats that try to come. If we do have to abandon the boat, the bays that I am thinking of have trails and old abandoned cabins in them so we can make our final escape to there. Failing that, I can launch my 12’ hard bottom inflatable with outboard engine and do some hit and run tactics or use it as another escape platform.

My main concern will be the ongoing procurement of diesel fuel if we need to move a lot. It would be ideal to find some other like-minded boaters and set up a defensive community there. We have set the boat up with 3 redundant electrical sources 1) wind generator for our 8-6 volt golf cart bats with an 8 d for start, 2) on one the main diesel engines we have a 150 amp Zena alternator that can double as a welder and charging system for the boat on the other 120 hp Ford Lehman we have a 65 amp heavy duty for running the boat and keeping the 8 [six- volt] golf cart batteries charged up 3) We also have a small 3,500watt diesel generator that can back up any of the electrical system. All of these systems are tied to our Heart 2500 watt inverter system.

We have stored on the boat 180 day supply of food including various buckets of rice, wheat, flour and MRes. I have a good supply of fishing, crabbing and prawn equipment being an ex-fishing guide I envision bartering local seafood for various other needs. On board I have a set of diving gear in case in need to do some under water boat disabling, or do repairs on our own boat. The boat has the ability to carry 250 gals of fresh water and with the number creeks and rivers that dump into the west coast water will not be a problem. Septic will not be a problem. We will have a small desalination unit that will feed into the main tank at about 2-3 gal an hour which give us the water we need to sustain ourselves. For showering and hot water we have a passive sun heat hot water system as well as a heat exchanger on the main engines that will give all the hot water we need when the mains are running. The boat also has four sources of heat 1) the main engines have the heat exchanger tied into a hot water hydronic s system throughout the boat with 12 volt pumps that transfer the hot water heat trough out the boat. 2) A Hurricane hot water diesel furnace system that is tied into the 12 pumps and fan system through red dot heater exchanges. 3) In all of the rooms we have 1,500 watt cadet style wall mount heaters that can run off the 8-6 volt batteries. 4) We have a portable Little Buddy propane heater for back up in the event of failure with 3-20 lb propane bottles. We also carry 450 gallons of diesel with a burn rate of 1.5/gal hr per engine that we will use for G.O.O.D. time having lived on the coast my whole life and explored most of it there are number bays that one could hide in for a long time until things blows over.

For defense of the boat I have a 12 gauge riotgun with 200 rounds of slugs and 00 buck shot. A Mini-14 with folding stock .223(with 2,000 rounds), 18 shot Remington .22 with 30 boxes of high velocity long rifle, Jennings .22 pistol and stainless .38 with 150 rounds. I am planning to buy a dummy .50 caliber to (covered up while at port of course so as not freak out the locals) mounted on the front of the boat to give that “don’t mess with me” look. The final on board defense with be quart size canisters of military grade OC, and of course our whacked out pit-bull terrier.

Our electronics package include the various things you need for maritime navigation 24 mile radar that can be set to provide a defensive perimeter alarm out to 1 mile, 2 Raymarine depth sounders in both the upper fully enclosed station as well as the lower station, a loud hailer for the broadcast of “don’t mess with me” warnings, One fully rotational 2 million power spot flood light, 2 heavy duty anchors with lots of chain and floating line for the defensive perimeter around the boat good for prop fouling plus we have redundancy in our VHF radios as well as a short wave system, 4 – 12 gauge flare guns for signaling [and perhaps some fear inducing], auto pilot, video camera system with four outside video cameras that can monitor the boat at all times , paper charts of the West Coast as well as 3 GPS systems (two hand held and one mounted), two FRS radios, I hand held VHF radio, 2 portable 1 million candle power spot lights, a yagi 16 db directional antenna that allows me to dial into any broadcasters that are still operating along the west coast.

On the boat I have a full complement of spare parts and a large tool chest I can do almost all repairs short of rebuilding the engines. I took a diesel engine course at the local community college just to give me a little more info on the mechanics of diesel engines. My wife works at the hospital and has a good working knowledge the medical techniques and supplies. My son is in law enforcement and has assured me when the time comes with his SWAT training and equipment we will be well protected. The thing that I am concerned about the most is how will I know when to make the break and move on what will be the signs that say that is time to go and what do I do with those who don’t believe and hence have to leave behind that will be very difficult. God has assured us he will be us guiding us and directing us until he comes again. That is my only comfort.

JWR Replies: There are a few weaknesses in your plan, but you will certainly be light years ahead of the average urbanites and suburbanites of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan region who will be geographically isolated in the event of a major disaster. The weaknesses that immediately come to mind are:

1.) Limited food storage. You should pre-position as much storage food as possible onboard your boat. Once your food runs out, your options will be very limited. Although they are illegal in most jurisdictions for private fishing in fresh water, I suggest that you lay in a supply of gill nets, for the event of a true “worst case” where fishing regulations become meaningless.

2.) Limited fuel storage. Once your fuel runs out, your options will be very limited. Within the weight and balance constraints of your boat, increase your diesel fuel storage as much as possible.

3.) Limited water storage. You need to get some dedicated equipment for collecting, hauling, and filtering fresh water from shore. You should buy at least 8 heavy duty five-gallon plastic water cans or alternatively some five-gallon HDPE plastic buckets with spout lids. (See what fits best in your inflatable.) It is also important to procure a water filter to treat that water. In the long term, as your budget allows, you should also get a backup manually-pumped reverse osmosis Water Maker, to provide redundancy in turning sea water into fresh water.

4.) No photovoltaic power generation capacity. Once you are out of diesel to make power, your wind generator will be insufficient to keep your battery bank charged.

5.) The 1,500 watt electric wall heaters that you mentioned are designed for use on shore power, or when you have your engine running. Without your engine alternator or your auxiliary generator charging the system, running one of those heaters will drain your battery bank in just a couple of hours. Here again, once you are out of diesel fuel to make power, those electric heaters will be useless.

6.) The “abandoned cabins” that you mentioned are undoubtedly located on land that already has an owner, and odds are that someone will be there, in hard times. In the event of a total collapse, you might have the chance to build a cabin on public land out on an island. So bring a barrel of timber spikes and nails, several axes, several saws, a shingle froe, a hardwood mallet (“maul”), an adze, a draw knife, and assorted carpentry tools. And of course bring a good book on building wilderness cabins, such as Beard’s classic book: “Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties“.

7.) You should thoroughly scout out primary, secondary, and tertiary harbor locations, preferably in the American San Juan islands. Since you own guns that are “no-nos” in Canada, that rules out the Canadian San Juan islands. That is unfortunate, since there is a much larger selection of great little uninhabited islands up there. (I visited several, when I spent a summer on and around Cortes Island.)

8.) You will probably be safer at night anchored “out in the channel” than you would be in the confined waters of a small bay or river inlet. I’d recommend adding a .308 or .30-06 stainless steel bolt action rifle to give you better range in keeping pirates at a safe stand-off distance. (As they say, “Keep your friends close and your enemies at 9X distance.”) Buy several hundred rounds of ball or AP ammo, and at least 60 rounds of tracer ammo, for putting the fear of God into nocturnal pirates.

9.) In the event of a long term disaster, a diesel engine coastal cruiser carrying a gas-engine inflatable won’t be tenable. A true blue water sailboat with lots of PV panels and carrying a couple of sea kayaks would be more appropriate.

Letter Re: How Long Can You Tread Water?

Mr. Rawles:
Regarding the recently-posted article on EMP, while some of what Tom S. says is true, some of it is just plain silly. The results of a nation-wide EMP pulse would be catastrophic to be sure. Banking, communications, even food supply
would in fact be disrupted. But to suggest that well organized gangs with armored vehicles would be systematically destroying farm homes and lake cabins is simply preposterous. Please consider:

1. If fuel production is halted, no one is going to get further than one tank of gas outside the city limits.

2. If fuel is still being produced then law enforcement will operate and food production will not be halted and the point is moot.

3. There is a reason the US Army moves its [tracked] vehicles by rail. They can’t drive more than a few miles without the things breaking down.

4. Existing gangs are mostly composed of ignorant teenagers who, while fiercely loyal and ruthlessly violent, do not possess the foresight or the organizational capability to run a sustained campaign based on
foraging. While the older, more structural gangs (such as the Hell’s Angels) might be able to pull it off, once the gas runs out they, like the inner-city Crips and Bloods, will be on foot.

5. In the event of a power outage, jail cells will be locked shut, not open.

6. In order to run a successful raid on even an isolated farm house takes meticulous planning, thorough preparation, lots of supplies, and the ability to perform small unit infantry tactics. If you’ve ever done it, you know that even in the best of circumstances, it is extraordinarily difficult, because it is physically demanding and takes real discipline.

7. The idea that the neighborhood gang is suddenly going to turn into a disciplined force, operating with military precision out to get Tom S. is simply delusional
paranoia.

A fundamental tenet of preparedness is cool headed planning. We can not afford wide-eyed optimistic sentimentalism. However we do not need wild-eyed hysteria, either.

Respectfully, – Andrew B.

Four Letters Re: My G.O.O.D. Vehicle

Hello James Wesley,
I have a couple of questions for Matt M. My knowledge of diesel engines is limited. However, I am researching for my own G.O.O.D. vehicle as well, and following your advice on having vehicles with different fuel systems I am concentrating diesel light trucks for my requirement. Matt describes taking an “expedition” route instead of regular roads under certain conditions. He also states that with his extra fuel tank that he has a “2,000 mile range”.

My questions to Matt are:

Is the fuel range based on “expedition” conditions, or road conditions?

Does diesel mileage vary with the season? In a past life (living in a northern state) I owned a gasoline engine 1977 GMC 4×4 Suburban that got 14 mpg summer and 7 mpg winter. I am wondering if diesel engines are affected by the cold as well.

Thanks, – Chris G. in Wisconsin

 

Sir:
I just wanted to mention a couple practical points in consideration of Matt M’s excellent G.O.O.D. Vehicle article.

He mentions a 98 gallon auxiliary tank, and then a 2,000 mile range for his 99 Ford F350. 2,000 miles / 98 gallons is assuming a 20 mpg average for those miles and I believe that is overly optimistic for “off-road” expedition type travel. If most of the travel is 45 mph, dirt road type driving I think he could easily make that type of mpg. But for true off-road, fields, tight mountain trails, power and gas line right-of-ways, I am guessing he will see speeds of 5-10 mph at best.

In my experience, your mpg drops off considerably at those speeds and it is quite possible he will see single digit mph on his 400 mile trek. The best thing to confirm your actual off-road mileage is to take a trip and measure your actual mileage in those conditions!

Another couple of tools that he should consider, is bolt cutters, chainsaw(s), or better yet, old fashioned 1-2 man bow saws for a more stealthy solution to downed trees, etc blocking the path. Another valuable off-road tool is the Hi-Lift jack, mine is cast iron, 60” model that can also serve as a “winch” and many other uses!

If you look at Google Earth, you can actually print out some excellent maps of your own personal off-road G.O.O.D. egress! Look for power lines, gas lines, etc that cut through property that is not normally traveled by vehicles!! HOWEVER, it is highly illegal to actually scout ahead and drive down those trails as they are mostly private property that the utility companies have access to.

Yes, you will see many off-road type vehicles illegally traveling down them now, but I can assure you a hefty fine / and unwanted attention from the local PD is a possibility!! Not to mention irate land owners. But, if the SHTF, well I suspect this will be a GOOD backup plan.

I mention bolt/wire cutters for crossing fences, et cetera off-road in the above situation. You may want to consider a “good neighbor” system where you actually repair the damage you are doing. They will be even more upset with you if their livestock wanders out your new G.O.O.D. hole that you cut in their fence.

James:
Matt needs to be sure that he had identified every sensor in the vehicle and that he knows how to replace them and can do it himself with the tools he is likely to have on hand. There are a lot of sensors in vehicles today and
some are very difficult to get to. I am not familiar with his Fords, but I have seen Chevies where you need to lift the engine to reach a crankshaft sensor and the vehicle was DOA without it operational. – Thomas G.

Mr. Editor:
I believe the 1999 Ford F350 is protected by Ford’s “Securi-lock” or PATS (Passive Anti-Theft System). The key is interrogated by a transponder in the column when the ignition switch is turned to the “Start” position. If that key’s code is not programmed in to one of 8 or more slots (2 master, 6+ authorized users), the vehicle will turn over, but won’t start. This will cause the “Theft” light on the dash to flash as the only indication as to why there is a “no-start”. To compound the issue, the PATS module can be part of the PCM, the dash cluster or a separate box.

Ideally, the PCM, IDM, etc. will be installed and tested BEFORE they are packed away, but I expect the PCM could be a major issue. If the PCM has built in PATS, only the keys that the vehicle was purchased with (or programmed for, more on that later) will work.

If the PATS is in the dash or a separate module, you will be able to swap out the PCM with little or no issue, but now you have a bigger problem – EMP and the PATS module – secure a replacement (wherever it may be) and follow the remaining steps.

If the vehicle has the PATS built in to the PCM, hopefully it is a version that allows for user programming needing only one or more master keys. If this is the case, the Ford Service Manual (or any Internet Search Engine) will produce the procedures to program new keys for the original PCM.

Should you be lucky enough to have the original keys that came WITH the PCM, you can purchase keys that can be cut to match your column WITHOUT the transponder, and attach the old key head to the new key with a small ring or zip-tie. This will keep the “chip” close enough to the sensor “halo” to read during programming. You can use these make-shift master keys to program the PROPER keys for daily use. While not ideal, it is cheap!

If you do not have the original keys for the PCM, it will need to be reflashed by a Ford Service Center for the new keys (2 masters).
Have the technician erase all keys and start from scratch, this will eliminate the possibility that someone (previous owner, other dealer) has a back up or “cloned” key. If you do the “self-service” procedures in the Service Manual, it will force the “Theft” light to flash once for each key programmed – if there are more flashes than you have keys, someone has programmed a spare key! There is no way to delete additional keys without the specific dealer tools.

I recommend testing all keys to ensure they unlock all doors/compartments, and unlock the steering column BEFORE flashing. Any local locksmith can cut the keys, but you need to follow the manufacturers instructions for programming.

For each vehicle/PCM combination, I recommend 4 keys.
– Two Master keys: which get zip-tied together and stored in a safe place, marked with the PCM and vehicle info (for uses a 4 digit code to ID the PCM, like BAE2, XBT1, etc). This way, if either of the regular use keys are lost, the masters can be used to program additional keys.
– Two additional keys become the everyday keys and these can be replaced as needed for little cost.

If you do not have the “Master” keys for a vehicle (or spare PCM), this is a “dealer only” procedure that is bound to cost hundreds of dollars.
Remember, never use the master keys for everyday use, not only can someone use them to add a key to your vehicle, but if the key is lost, stolen or broken, it will make the repair dealer only instead of DITY.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, – DZF

Economics and Investing:

G.G. was the first of several readers to mention this article by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: With the US trapped in depression, this really is starting to feel like 1932

Todd M. sent us this: Banks Too Big to Fail, Too Big to Bail Out: Roubini

B.B. sent this: Investors Fear Rising Risk of US Regional Defaults

Bernanke Created Half of 234 Years’ Worth of Money Supply. Here is a quote: “The U.S. turned 234 years old yesterday, and yet over half of the
nation’s money supply was created since Helicopter Ben took over the
flight controls four years ago. No wonder gold is in a full fledged
bull market . . .”

Items from The Economatrix:

Starting Now: America’s Second Great Depression

Companies Clutching Cash But Stingy with Jobs

From Forbes: Unemployment is Here to Stay

Sultans of Swap: BP Collapse Potentially More Devastating than Lehman’s

Gary North: Congress or Fed Too Big To Fail?

Increasing Risk of Double-Dip Recession as Leading Economic Indicators Start to Turn

Turning Lemons Into Lemonade for 390 Years

Hungary to Ask for “Precautionary Bailout” from EU and IMF

7.9 Million Jobs Lost, Many Never to Return

State and Local Government Workers’ Job Security Fades

Odds ‘n Sods:

R.J. in Idaho told me that he had an excellent germination rate with his Medicinal Herb Garden Collection from Everlasting Seeds, despite what he termed a “difficult” gardening season with “never-ending” Spring rains. I can’t think of a more important thing to keep on hand (and to practice using) that non-hybrid seeds. Stock up!

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M.O.B. sent this: Seized Drug Submarine is Huge Leap for Smugglers

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I heard about a new blog with an emphasis on personal security: Security Whip. Check it out.

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Jason H. flagged this from Popular Mechanics: Can Your Padlock Withstand a Bullet?

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, 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 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 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, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 29 ends on July 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.