Upgrades to Your Bug Out Vehicle, by Nickey C.

There have been several excellent articles in SurvivalBlog on Bug Out Vehicles (BOVs), but there may be a few gaps to fill.

A REPAIR MANUAL for your model vehicle. A shop manual from a dealer can be quite expensive, but a Chilton’s or Haynes manual available from most auto parts stores is usually less than twenty dollars and is a wealth of information. [JWR Adds: I recommend buying a full length service manual and a maintenance code reader. If you do some searching on Amazon and eBay, you can often find a used factory service manual for just a bit more that you would pay for a new copy of a short Chilton’s “excerpt” manual. It is also noteworthy that there are presently lots of car dealerships that are going out of business. This should provide a bonanza of service manuals and diagnostic boxes, if you call the right place at the right time. Typically, most of the tools at a dealership service department belong to the individual mechanics, but the reference books and diagnostic kits belong to the dealership.] I know a few “preppers” who will spend big money to buy the latest tactical-stealth-ninja gear and then pay someone else to change the oil in their vehicles! You should do as much of the work on your vehicle as possible, both regular maintenance and repair work; you will learn an amazing amount about how the various vehicle systems work, you will know the work was done correctly with the right parts, and many repairs are much easier the second time you do them (much better to learn now rather than on the side of the road somewhere or after TSHTF). If you do not have some of the tools you need, you can often buy the needed tool, learn by doing it yourself, and still spend less than having a repair shop do the same work, plus now you have more of the tools you need.

PROPER TIRES are vital; they are your vehicles only contact (hopefully) with the ground and can make a huge difference in how your vehicle performs. Many of us (probably most) drive trucks or SUVs as our daily drivers and/or BOVs, and we often succumb to the temptation of installing larger tires than the original equipment tires. We use the excuses of more ground clearance, etc., but the real main reason is usually we think they look cool on our trucks. That is fine; just understand that if you “upgraded” your tires by going bigger, you just “downgraded” your braking and fuel economy and if you went much bigger you may have seriously compromised your vehicle’s handling and steering as well. Braking distance will increase with larger diameter tires because there is usually more mass rotating farther from the center of the tire and because the larger diameter acts as a longer lever the brakes must act upon when you try to stop.

It is true that a larger tire will travel farther with each revolution, therefore creating the effect of lower engine RPM at a given speed (it will also affect the actual speed versus the indicated speed on the speedometer, which is not a free pass on a speeding ticket) that some assume should result in better mileage, but it will also increase the force required to turn the tire and create more stress on all the drive train parts. In the auto maker’s battles for better fuel economy and meeting CAFE standards, if gaining mileage was as easy as sticking on a bigger set of tires (making us happier in the “looks cool” area at the same time), a room full of really smart folks with engineering degrees designing vehicles would have probably stumbled across the idea on their own.
If you are willing to take the hit on lower mileage and longer stopping distances at least ensure the tires are rated for the loads you will place on them. Ratings for traction (wet, dry, and snow), load, noise, tread wear and other information is readily available at web sites such as TireRack.com. You can compare the various tire parameters based on your needs and make a much more informed choice on which is the best tire for your vehicle.

While you are dealing with tires, consider the spare; most pickups and SUVs have a full-sized tire that matches the four road tires, but on a cheap steel wheel. Tire makers say that by the time you have to replace your tires, the spare should be replaced as well. This is because the tire, especially the sidewalls, will deteriorate from hanging out under the truck in the weather and not being flexed from driving. Buy an extra wheel that matches the four main wheels and rotate all five tires. You will noticeably increase the life of each set of tires, saving considerable money in the long term. If you go way out in the boonies, you can get a used tire of the same size and type (maybe the best tire from your last set) and put it on the original spare steel wheel and have a “spare spare”.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS are often one of the most under-maintained vehicle systems. Those of us with a preparedness mindset tend to ask a lot from our vehicles. We haul things, tow trailers, drive on trails, etc. and therefore operate under the “severe operations” side of the maintenance list. Much of this added stress goes right through the transmission. The problem for most vehicles is that you must completely remove the transmission pan to change the fluid and filter, making it rather expensive to have a shop change the fluid for you, or a big dripping mess to do it yourself. A simple solution is to replace the stock transmission pan with an aftermarket pan that has a drain plug. You can find a pan that is made from aluminum and has extra fluid capacity without extending any lower under your vehicle than the stock pan. Heat is a major enemy of automatic transmissions and the aftermarket pan has the added benefit of better cooling and therefore longer service life. Most have a magnetic drain plug that will collect the tiny bits of metal created as transmission parts wear. This will appear as a thick paste on the drain plug, so ensure you clean the plug well before reinstalling it.
The aftermarket also has a means to deal with the transmission filter, which is located inside the pan. You can get a remote mounting bracket that uses a standard oil filter and can be used to provide the filtration you need and enable you to change filters when you change the fluid without removing the pan. Automatic transmissions have either a separate radiator in front of your regular engine coolant radiator or a separate section within the main radiator to help cool the transmission fluid, so lines are already routed from the transmission to the front of your vehicle. It is a simple task to mount the bracket near the radiator, cut the rubber portion of the existing transmission line, and plumb in the bracket with a couple of brass fittings, clamps, and some rubber hose. Be careful to route the fluid to the inlet and outlet ports on the bracket correctly, if the filter has an anti drain-back valve, the fluid can only flow in one direction. When you use the remote filter, you must leave the original internal filter in place if it is used (most are) as the pick-up point for the pump that circulates the transmission fluid. Simply cut a hole in the paper filter media before installing the internal filter and it will still work as the fluid pick-up but will never clog. Now, changing your transmission fluid is truly as easy as changing the engine oil and the total cost for the pan and the bracket is less than having a shop change the fluid a couple of times.

INTAKE AND EXHAUST SYSTEMS are common upgrades. We have been told that gasoline engines act as big air pumps, not a bad analogy. The engines uses a small but definite percentage of its power pulling air in and pushing exhaust gas out, so it is reasonable that anything that eases the flow of air in or exhaust gas out will let the engine work more efficiently. This gain in efficiency results in more available power and better mileage. Original equipment intake and exhaust systems tend to be restrictive because they are designed to operate as quietly as possible. Intakes can benefit from a low restriction air filter, but will gain much more from a complete intake system. These systems use a high flow reusable filter combined with larger, smoother tubing to replace the original system all the way to the throttle body. These are set up to use the original airflow sensors and some compartmentalize the filter away from engine heat.

You can also noticeably improve performance with an aftermarket exhaust system. The most common is the “cat back” system; it replaces the original exhaust system from the catalytic converter to the rear of the vehicle with smoother, larger tubing and a less restrictive muffler. There are two main types of replacement mufflers used in theses systems. Some use fiberglass or similar material to absorb sound, these are often referred to as “glass packs”. The disadvantage to these is the material will deteriorate and let the muffler get louder over time. The other, and in my opinion better, choice uses specifically designed chambers and baffles to cancel out sound waves, especially in the range that would cause resonance inside the vehicle. The advantages to these are they don’t change or get louder, they are less restrictive, and you save about thirty to forty pounds from the original system. Many systems are offered with dual outlets, but there is not a great gain from two outlets, since the muffler is still fed by one tube coming out of the catalytic converter. Systems are designed for specific vehicles, but check the specs carefully; some require relocation of the spare tire, not a good option if you don’t want your spare banging around in the back of your truck. If you tow a trailer, especially a camper, the side outlets instead of rear outlets are recommended to help prevent exhaust gas from entering the trailer. Most manufacturers offer varying levels of sound output and many want the loudest option, but you really gain little or no benefit from going louder, and if things do get bad do you really want to announce your arrival from two blocks away?

MILEAGE/POWER ADD-ONS are controversial to say the least. Look at any auto parts catalog or web site and you will find a profusion of parts that offer better mileage and/or more power. If you buy into the ads of “up to 2 MPG and 10 horsepower” for this widget, “up to 3 MPG and 15 horsepower” for that widget, you can soon be convinced you can have a truck with 600 HP that gets 40 MPG while pulling a trailer up a mountain trail. While any manufacturer will want to cast his product in the best possible light, the magic advertising words here are “up to”. Even with reputable manufacturers, advertised gains usually indicate the best result achieved within the best possible test parameters, and may not reflect your driving results in the real world. The irony of installing an intake system that claims to increase performance by smoothing airflow and then putting in another piece that claims to increase performance by creating turbulence should not be lost on the reader. Just as with our firearms, any upgrades must maintain or improve reliability. You should also have a realistic view of any mileage improvements. If you are currently getting 15 MPG and a product gives you an improvement of 10% (a fairly good result) you will now be getting 16.5 MPG. With gasoline at $2.00 per gallon you will save about one penny per mile in fuel cost, so if you spent $300 on the “upgrade”, you will have to drive 30,000 miles to pay for the cost of the item before you start saving any money from the increased mileage. Some things will give better mileage, more power, and better throttle response, some not so much; do some careful research before spending your money. My approach is usually to upgrade as repairs are needed, for example; after damage to my exhaust system from road debris, I replaced the stock system with aftermarket, when it was time to change the transmission fluid, I replaced the pan and added the remote filter. The best mileage improvement device available is wearing your right shoe (i.e. your driving habits). [JWR Adds: Beware of any “mileage boost” product that involves either chemicals or magnets. They are selling Dr Feelgood Snake Oil, folks. The electronic ignition upgrades might have some merit, but like Nickey says, do the math, first!]

ELECTRIC AND LIGHTING: A small (up to about 750-800 watts [if wired directly into high amperage terminals]) DC to AC inverter can be installed to power AC appliances like cell phone chargers, laptop computers, and even small power tools for about the cost of a DC adapter for either item. A set of fog lights can really help illuminate the road directly in front of you or when visibility is poor due to bad weather. A pair of low profile fog lights (wider beam than driving lights) under the rear bumper can help immensely when attaching a trailer or working behind the vehicle at night. For rear mounted lights I recommend an illuminated switch mounted in direct view of the driver to insure the lights are not left on accidentally. DC current is notoriously less efficient than AC at carrying voltage, so if your installation requires a long run of wiring, use at least one size larger wire than specs call for to avoid voltage and wire overheating problems.

BE PREPARED for your vehicle to break down at the worst possible time and place and in the worst possible weather. Most of us have a good basic tool set and we know about extra belts, hoses, etc. You should have clothes and shoes/boots to change into if you must work on your vehicle or if you have to walk out of the woods or to call a tow truck (cell phones don’t reach everywhere). Be sure to include clothes and shoes for all who are likely to be with you. This lesson was reinforced for me in Alaska when my vehicle broke down, luckily only about three miles from home. I had the proper clothing stored in the car and was able to walk home, get my truck and retrieve my car. Next was the task of replacing the serpentine drive belt in the dark at -35 degrees. Proper gloves are critical in a situation like that, but can also be important in hot weather; metal parts can get hot enough to cause burns in the summer even without factoring in engine heat. Many people have work gloves that would be fine for shoveling your way out of a mud hole, but you should also have mechanic’s gloves that will protect your hands but are thin and flexible enough to allow you to work with small parts that are very hot or very cold.

There are obviously many other possibilities for upgrades and additions, but I hope the ideas offered here will help. – Nickey C.

Letter Re: Question of Sealing Primers and JWR’s Notes on AR-10 Magazines

Sir,
I want to thank you for your advice to obtain a 308 battle rifle. Last year I held off on buying one until December as I felt my AR-15s were “good enough”. I paid around $1,600 for an Armalite AR-10. That same rifle model now sells for more that $2,000 (if you can find it). I have also acquired another AR-10 lower that I am building for a “longer range” 308 rifle. I have also been purchasing a lot of Lake City once fired brass and 147 grain FMJ components and slowly reloading my ammo supply. Here is my question: Is it better that keep powder, primers, cases, and bullets separated or just load everything up and store it that way? I am worried about powder/primer long term storage and wonder if its easier to keep powder and primers in original packaging for really long term storage. I recently went to the range and shot off some ammo I reloaded back in 1993. I had about 10 rounds with primer failure . My previous house basement was flooded in 1998 and I think this ammo was in the basement at that time. So now I am pulling those older bullets and am having to reload them as I suspect more primers will fail.

Another question: Is there a way to quickly and cheaply waterproof loaded cases at the primer and case mouth? I have thought about clear nail polish. Regards, – Eric

JWR Replies: I advise that you go ahead and assemble those components, whenever you have time available. A lot of things can go wrong (fire, broken pipes, flood, etc), so loaded ammo will be much safer than storing components. Store all of your ammo only in military surplus ammo cans that still have nice soft seals. Include a small bag of silica gel desiccant in each can. (It doesn’t take much to suck up the atmospheric moisture in a space that small.)

Don’t attempt to seal case necks with lacquer, or you will cause erratic velocities and possibly cause failures to completely chamber rounds. (The same effect as improperly trimmed brass.)The US military arsenals have actually used tar to seal their bullets, but I don’t recommend doing so. (Not unless you want to set up a hot tar bullet-seating assembly-line, and do the requisite pressure tests!)

For the primer pockets: Use an tiny extra fine tip brush and red lacquer paint–available from any hobby shop. Don’t use clear lacquer. It is important to use a colored lacquer, so that you don’t lose track of which primer pockets have already been sealed. Some folks recommend using just a single cat’s whisker type brush. One ring around the edge of the primer is all that you need. It takes just a tiny bit for each primer. Just one ounce of lacquer will last you through years of primer sealing if your are careful to keep the bottle tightly sealed.

OBTW I recommend that you stock up on magazines for both your current AR-10 and your planned AR-10 “build”. Those magazines are already scarce–now up to around $80 each–and they may be $200+ in just a year.

If you want to have a dozen or magazines per rifle, then it might very well be worthwhile to order two replacement AR-10 lowers from Sonju International in Kalispel, Montana. They make an excellent machined-billet lower receiver variant that the dubbed the “SI-AR-HK” that can accept HK-G3 alloy magazines (that are available as military surplus for as little as $2.20 each!) Then, after those lowers (and a box of 100 magazines from a vendor such as Scorpion Arms arrive), you can then sell off your current Armalite-made lower receivers and magazines for an obscene profit that will infuriate Chuck Schumer.

Economics and Investing:

From GG: Borrowing puts UK’s AAA rating in danger after Budget 2009

Also from GG: China reveals huge rise in gold reserves JWR’s comment: Well, “huge” is a relative term. The population of Switzerland is 7.5 million, and the population of China is 1.3 billion. Yet, at 1,054 tons of gold, China’s gold horde is only slightly larger than Switzerland’s. Methinks China will be a big gold buyer in the decades to come, probably in excess of their domestic production.

Items from The Economatrix:

How Low Could the Stock Markets Go?

10 Charts Showing a Prolonged Global Recession

Retirement Dreams Disappear with 401(k)s

Student Loans: Default Rates are Soaring

Black-magic Dollars (The Mogambo Guru)

Treasury Filing Chrysler Bankruptcy

10 Countries in Deep Trouble

Facing The Abyss

UK Budget Recovery Predictions “Utter Fantasy”

Crime Figures Show Rise in Theft as Recession Bites

Odds ‘n Sods:

Several readers sent links to articles about a new H1N1-series variant swine flu, including this AP wire service article: Flu epidemic prompts Mexico City to suspend all school, university classes, as strain studied. The death count in Mexico is now up to 61. A follow-up article included this troubling tidbit: “Scientists said the virus combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before.” If the number of reported cases expands geometrically and the fatality rate is significant, then take the appropriate precautions. Of course, most SurvivalBlog readers already have deep larders and are well prepared to hunker down to avoid casual contact.

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Speaking of influenza,”Texas Gal in Oregon” recommended a “stay at home” influenza preparedness guide published at the Nez Perce, County, Idaho web site. OBTW, it might be prudent to take the time to re-read my background article on flu self-quarantine and other precautions: Protecting Your Family From an Influenza Pandemic

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FFF. flagged this: Jamaican army deployed ahead of tax increase

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News from Wisconsin: CCRKBA Calls Milwaukee, Wisconsin Police Chief’s Remarks ‘Outrageous’ (Any bets on whether the police chief was indoctrinated went to college in Stevens Point?)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders; no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way out for himself if society is sweeping toward destruction. Therefore everyone, in his own interests, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle. No one can stand aside with unconcern; the interests of everyone hang on the result. Whether he chooses or not, every man is drawn into the great historical struggle, the decisive battle into which our epoch has plunged us." – Ludwig von Mises, Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis, 1922

Notes from JWR:

Thanks to everyone that ordered copies of my novel “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse” on “Book Bomb” Day. You placed so many orders that you totally wiped the copies that Amazon.com had on hand by 6 a.m. on April 8th. Amazon currently has 13,000 copies on order from the publisher, 10,000 of which should get to them sometime early next week. So most of you should have your books by late next week, and an unfortunate few of you possibly as late as June 26th, depending on when you placed your order. Again, thanks for your patience! OBTW, please don’t cancel your order and re-order for the sake of saving two bucks, or you’ll end up way at the back end of a very long queue.

I’ve been told that my agent has reached final agreement with the Atria and Pocket Books Divisions of Simon & Schuster on a deal for two sequels to “Patriots“. Unlike traditional sequels, the storylines of these novels will be contemporaneous with the economic collapse and invasion described in the first novel. There will be some overlap of characters, but most of the action will take place in different locales. My goal is to use these two books to write about a lot of different tactics, techniques, and technologies for survival. I’m excited to be getting back to fiction writing. But of course I’ll continue daily posts at SurvivalBlog.

Letter Re: Save Money, Get Prepared, and Eat Healthier with Intermediate Term Food Storage

Jim,
Thanks for posting Travis A.’s letter regarding food storage. He makes some good points but I’d like to chime in with some thoughts of my own.

I see an emergency food storage program as having two conflicting goals: The first is to allow you to eat “normally” after a disaster, because “different” food will just add to the stress of the situation. The second is to provide basic food that will merely keep you alive but will store long-term. I believe a hybrid storage plan that meets both goals is best, at least for my lifestyle.

To meet the first goal of eating normally, Travis’ plan works. Store the foods you eat and rotate them. For the storage solutions available to most people, that means rotating through everything every 4-6 months or so. Brown rice goes funky. Beans left in open air become too dry to re-hydrate. Pasta gets stale and acquires off tastes. Other foods like those Lipton pasta and rice pouches go funky even faster – they’re good for a couple months before they start tasting “off”. That 7 lb. container of garlic might store for two years, but not if it’s opened – and how are you going to rotate it without opening it and constantly using it?

So buy what you like and rotate it – but other than canned food, there is little you can buy that will still be particularly tasty after a year unless you go through the hassle of sealing it up, canning it, or whatever – in portion sizes that you can use up before it goes stale.

For long-term, “get you through two winters food,” nothing beats properly stored staples like wheat, white rice, beans, powdered milk, dehydrated vegetables and potatoes. This is the stuff that will keep you alive while the fallout decays in the grain belt, or scientists figure out how to prevent the new blight that destroyed a year’s worth of crops. These are buy-and-forget, emergency-only, keep-you-alive staples – cheap sources of carbs and protein. Add some oil and vitamins and you’re set with something that will keep you alive. The inconvenience of using this food will virtually guarantee you won’t use it unless you have to. It’s like carrying a pouch of dog food in your backpack to eat in an emergency. Ask Ethiopians who survived the 1970s and 1980s if it’s a good idea.

The LDS church is arguably the authority on long-term storage of staples. After a recent study at Brigham Young University (BYU) concluded that properly stored #10 cans of most foods are good for at least thirty years, the church revised its recommendations and now suggests that long-term storage foods not be rotated. Why? Because nobody wants to grind wheat. It’s easier to buy a bag-o-beans at the grocery store than it is to tap into your #10 cans and then have to replace them. If you’re worried about adjusting, then start working whole grains into your diet, but don’t do it by tapping into your storage supplies – go buy 5 lb. bags whole wheat flour or better, buy some wheat and practice using your grain mill.

The biggest advantage to this is that with the exception of freeze-dried food, long-term storage food is dirt cheap. A one year supply of staples for a small family can be had for less than a couple thousand dollars. Amortized over the thirty-year shelf life and it’s like paying $5 per month for complete food security.

Watch Craig’s List and similar sites! Last fall I was able to buy an electric tin can sealer worth $1,350 plus $700 worth of cans in various sizes for just $250. I actually found it first in Google’s cache listed for $500 and was crestfallen when my e-mail to their Craig’s List address was rejected because the listing had expired. I watched Craig’s List for the next month and sure enough, they re-listed at $250 because it didn’t sell the first time. I’d have gladly given them the $500! Now I have the ability to can anything wet or dry, including Travis’ 7 lbs. of garlic powder!

A final note on canned food (food that contains liquid): It lasts virtually forever, expiration dates notwithstanding. As long as the can isn’t bulged, dented on a seam, leaking or spurts when opened, then it is probably safe to eat. The fact is that bacteria don’t “work their way into” a can over time. They were either there when it was canned or they weren’t. If they were there, they will do their damage long before the expiration date. Botulism contamination is virtually unheard of in modern American [commercially] canned food. So while taste and nutritional value may suffer over time, safety doesn’t unless the can has a defect or is damaged.

The bottom line: Buy and rotate the foods you like. Buy and store food that will keep you alive.- Matt R.

JWR Replies: Here at the Rawles Ranch, we use a lot of our stored wheat. We keep a Country Living grain mill set up through about nine months of the year. (Our summer schedule is often too busy for bread making.) I am actually a big proponent of eating what you store.This has multiple benefits:

  • You’ll eat less expensively. (Buying in bulk can save up to 80%, versus packaged foods from the grocery store.)
  • Your diet will be more healthy. (Processed foods are generally less healthy than bulk grains, rice, and legumes.)
  • You’ll continuously rotate your food stocks. (FIFO!)
  • You’ll more closely monitor the condition and age of all of your storage food.
  • You’ll gain experience in preparing the same food that you store–with the opportunity to develop some tasty recipes.
  • You’ll accustom your digestive system to a diet that is heavy on storage food.

I must also point out that while many bulk storage foods retain remarkable nutritive value for as much as 30 years, that at least beans lose palatability. After about seven or eight years of storage, beans become so hard that they will refuse to plump up and soften, even after days of soaking or simmering. Yes, you can either grind them or cook them in a pressure cooker, but it is far easier to simply rotate your stored beans continuously (on a FIFO basis), and use them up when they are still less than five years old!

I often mention the book The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery, but two other books that are important to have on your bookshelf are Making the Best of Basics by James Talmage Stevens, and Cookin’ with Home Storage by Vicki Tate. Learning how to cook with stored food takes time and practice!

Living in a Schumeresque world will be stressful. But it will be even more stressful if you needlessly take on additional stresses, in getting your digestive system used to storage food, and by having to learn how to cook with storage food. If your storage food is presently just sitting on the shelf un-used and un-tested, then you’ve made a mistake. Get cooking!

Letter Re: America Stone Knife Sharpeners

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I am an everyday reader of your blog and greatly appreciate the information posted there. That said, I’d like to thank you for your recommendation of the America Stone.

I do a lot of wood hand carving, most of which is small and intricate work. I have a few wonderful and reliable knives, but I’ve usually been disappointed with most sharpeners. Either they are too rough on the blades or are a pain to use.

The America Stone is the most wonderful tool I’ve used since I can’t remember when. It puts an excellent edge on a blade in very little time and doesn’t cause excessive wear down of the edge. The blades are super sharp after using the stone, right to the very tip, especially important for my use. My blades also seem to keep their edge longer, saving me time and effort. I don’t have anything to do with the company, but I would recommend the product highly.

Thanks again for all you do. Extra prayers also for the Memsahib’s return to health. – MBC

Letter Re: Learning the Details of Self-Sufficiency

Jim,
None of us here can know the hour when 1 Thessalonians 4:16 -17, will come to be. There are Prophesies that seem to indicate that that time approaches. But we don’t know. We are not Prophets ourselves. We can just know to be ready. But until that time comes, there are also many other possibilities for which to prepare. We are in the early stages of a world-wide economic meltdown. As that grows worse, it can lead to all sorts of interesting events. Unemployment will likely lead to increased crime and even food riots. That can lead to the break down of systems. And that can cause the loss of health care, electricity, sanitation, water and so on. And that will inevitably lead to epidemics.

The Sun is the “quietest” it has been in many, many years. The last time Earth experienced so little sun spot activity, hundreds of thousands died from cold and lack of food because it snowed during the summer. The Yellowstone Caldera, a super volcano, is 40,000 years overdue to blow. When it does, it will spread ash across the entire US and block sunlight for years. There is an undersea volcano off Africa that is in danger of collapse. That could cause a tidal wave that would take out the entire east coast of the US. …And then there is the ambitions of our governments “new friends” in Venezuela and Iran, and Al Qaeda and N. Korea. An EMP attack will surely make us all take notice that being “friendly” and acting weak is no solution to bad behavior by evil people. ..Not to mention what the closing of the Hormuz Straits will cause, if certain folks decide they can get away with it.

And all that is just some of the possibilities as televised on PBS shows in the last week. Not even alarmist conspiracy theory or doom and gloom, just Public TV science and reporting.

I am of the opinion that the “first world” industrial societies are so complex, that they could collapse fairly easily. It’s just like my tractor. For lack of grease, the bearing spun. For lack of a bearing, the field didn’t get plowed. With no turned earth, there was no garden and no food.

In these kinds of economies, small events can have remarkable consequences. Several years ago, a tree fell against a power line in Ohio. That small outage spread. Power went off in parts of Canada and as far away as New York. A couple more trees, and there could be no power anywhere. And then who would there be to help Florida or Texas, after a hurricane.

So what are we to do? Certainly reading survivalblog everyday is a great start. Acquiring knowledge thru books is absolutely necessary. Getting training and practical experience at such schools as Front Sight and Midwest Native Skills Institute is crucial. You can also volunteer at any of many the open air museums, and learn about appropriate non-electric skills and tools. But, there is more. We really need seven day, everyday, experience.

For example, there has been a good bit of discussion lately about “city retreats”. Some folks believe they can make it in a well equipped “abandoned” factory or warehouse. They will hide in plain sight. That may work for a time, but what happens when the power goes out, and your stored fuel is used up? You might have bullets and food stored to last three years, then what? In my opinion, if you are concerned enough to be reading survivalblog, you ought to be realistic enough to get where you need to be to survive. And, IMHO, that ain’t the city. You simply won’t learn the practical skills needed to be self-sufficient, if you live on cement

It is remarkably complex to be self-sufficient. Without daily experience, you are unlikely to make it. It can easily take three years to successfully cultivate and grow an organic garden. It can take years to really learn to save seeds or prune a fruit tree. If the electricity goes out, you’ll need to be able to do that and much more. If you can’t, your children will suffer. It may take you a season or two to learn to get your fences built before the deer eat your crops. (They can clear a garden in one night). It can take years to learn what you actually need to run a farm. Little things like having lots of nails and screws on hand. If the big box stores close, how are you going to build shelter for city family refugees if you don’t already have the supplies? And do you know construction? Do you have the tools? Or, without lots and lots of files and hack saw blades, how will you work metal when the gas runs out? It takes more than just having an anvil and hammer. Do you know the simple things like stacking hay bales on their sides, instead of “strings up”? If the hay gets wet, the water will run through the bale if it’s on its side. The hay will much more likely mold if you store it with the strings pointing up. Right now, we all have the time to make such mistakes. It’s not yet life or death. But soon, it may be.

In a crisis, being efficient also becomes much more important. You’ll waste all kinds of time until you learn to carry a tool box on your equipment when you go to the field. It can be pure aggravation to need a wrench, screw driver or piece of wire, and have to walk all the way back to the barn. A simple fix can easily turn into a wasted hour, if you don’t have the experience and tools to know better. And an hour lost is a job undone. That can be very costly.

It’s taken me quite some time to learn to consistently keep certain things lined up by the back door. If I turn on any lights at night, a raccoon or coyote going after the chickens will run. I’ve learned, if I hear a noise, to get up in the dark, put on my boots, which are always where they need to be, have the other necessaries in easy reach, and to get out the door, silently, to take care of business. That’s not something learned easily or quickly. Just developing night vision and how to see in the dark, and how to listen to the sounds of night in the country, can take a lot of time. Not knowing that can mean losing half your chickens in one night. It happened to me.

It can also take some time to learn which neighbors are reliable and which farm equipment dealerships are best. You don’t want to buy major equipment from a dealer that has poor service and inventory. And asking for help from the wrong neighbor can be worse than no help at all.

It can take many seasons to learn the weather of your farm. I know that there is always a dry week in April when I can till the gardens. If I miss it, and it rains, it may be May before the ground will again dry out enough to plow. And when snow comes from certain directions, it may mean I need to clear a roof before it falls under too much weight. ..It’s happened.

It’s taken me some time to learn to put a broody chicken in wire cage inside the hen house. I put as many eggs under her as will fit, put in a bit of water and food, and shut the door. I’ve had many a hatch of eggs go bad because the chicken got up and didn’t find her way back. With this little trick of confining the chicken, I get chicks every time. That’s not something you learn just bugging out from the city.

It’s also taken some time to learn that its hard to read by candle light. An oil lamp is better, it can give between 2.7 to 4.4 candle power, depending on how wide the wick is. And having an oil lamp with mantle, which gives 40 candle power, (or the equivalent of a 60 watt bulb), is really important if you have any medical needs at night. I know I much more appreciate sewing myself up when I can see where to stitch, instead of kind’a poking around by candle light.

And so it goes. We all know something is coming. Most of us believe it in our cores. We wouldn’t be here otherwise. So, what are you going to do? I believe the time has come to take action. It may not be comfortable to leave the city and a well paying job. But you have so much to learn, and so little time. You really need to get moving. Because the mistakes you will certainly make today, just may do you in, tomorrow. – Jim Fry, Curator, Museum of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio

Economics and Investing:

This headline appeared yesterday: Stress Test Data to be Released May 4th. Since the pre-release rumors have been bad, Monday, May 4th could be a key event. Be ready for turmoil in the weeks following this announcement. Have plenty of cash on hand, since it will be difficult to predict what the sheeple will do on or after May 4th–when presumably the majority of US banks will be declared insolvent.

From DD: March existing home sales fall by three percent. “The results were ‘a little disappointing’ given that homes are more affordable than they’ve been in years and mortgage rates are near record lows, said Lawrence Yun, the group’s chief economist.” DD’s comment: “Words cannot express how absurd Yun’s statement is to me. After all, America is only facing the worst recession since the 1930s. Unemployment is out of sight and getting worse.The Federal government is overspending beyond comprehension. Not to mention that, American home buyers are too concerned about keeping what they are able to scrape together after new taxes amid their efforts to obtain food, shelter, water, transportation, et cetera. Then you throw in the fact that middle class jobs are being replaced by either unemployment or minimum wage work with little to no benefits. Finally, to top it all off some institutions require 20%+ for a down payment. Simple economics: If someone doesn’t have the means, the opportunity is irrelevant.”

Items from The Economatrix:

GM to Close Most US Factories Up to Nine Weeks

Majority Irish Expect Summer Civil Unrest

Volvo to Cut More than 1,500 Jobs

Bank Lending Keeps Dropping

US Advertising Famine Ravages NY Times and Yahoo Profits

Credit Card Giants Defy Plea to “Be Fair”

Bank Bailouts “May” Hurt Taxpayers, be Open to Fraud ” …the rescue program’s special inspector general concludes that a private-public partnership designed to rid financial institutions of their ‘toxic assets’ is tilted in favor of private investors and creates ‘potential unfairness to the taxpayer.'”

Fed Tests Harder on Regional Banks

Top Bailed-Out Firms Continue Lobbying “The top 10 recipients of the government’s $700 billion financial bailout spent about $9.5 million on federal lobbying during the first three months of the year.”

Geithner Says Most Banks Have Sufficient Capital to Keep Lending…. ” …but a pile of bad debts is fostering doubts about their health and slowing a recovery”

Tipping Point For US Treasuries?

Fed Shrouding $2 Trillion in Bank Loans “In Secrecy,” Suit Says

The Mighty Debt Purge of 2009

The Quiet Coup “The crash has laid bare many unpleasant truths about the United States. One of the most alarming, says a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, is that the finance industry has effectively captured our government—a state of affairs that more typically describes emerging markets, and is at the center of many emerging-market crises. If the IMF’s staff could speak freely about the U.S., it would tell us what it tells all countries in this situation: recovery will fail unless we break the financial oligarchy that is blocking essential reform. And if we are to prevent a true depression, we’re running out of time.”

A Meditation on Our Monetary System: A State of Permanent Siege

12 Major Brands that Will Disappear

Jobless Claims Show Double-Digit Unemployment Still Coming

If Banks Can Challenge Stress Tests, are they Tests at All?

The Land Mine on Bank Balance Sheets

Odds ‘n Sods:

Mat found a great Swiss Army Knife Forum, devoted to collecting and modifying the Großvater of all survival tools. The Swiss Army Knife (Schweizer Offiziersmesser) is a must for each teenager and adult family member. Unlike a Leatherman tool, they are light enough for daily pocket carry. The forum has some interesting information on outdoor survival projects such as tin can stoves.

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Commander Zero has some interesting commentary on the current shortage of ammunition, magazines, and primers: 1994 Versus Now. JWR’s comment: Commander Zero’s observations are spot on. It may be years before manufacturers catch up with demand, and by then, the legislative landscape may have shifted. We may see substantially higher taxes on guns, gun parts, ammo, and reloading components. Never underestimate the ability of politicians to serve themselves a big slice of pie, whenever they see a prosperous market. In my estimation, the greatest gains will be in prices for full capacity (11+ round) magazines, since there is a very high likelihood of a “high capacity” ban. There will still be guns manufactured that can accept full capacity magazines, but only neutered 10 round magazines will be legal to manufacture. The law of supply and demand dictates that magazine prices will rise. (All the buyers of those new guns will want to buy at least one full capacity magazine, and probably several.) It will be 1994 all over again, but this time without a 10 year “Sunset” clause. So it not unrealistic to expect to see 33 round Glock magazines selling for $200+ in just a few years.

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Yet another journalist has asked for interviews of SurvivalBlog readers. If you live within 60 miles of Nashville, Tennessee, take note: A Religion reporter with The Tennessean would like to talk with you. His emphasis for the article will be on how Christians approach survivalism. Contact: Bob Smietana. Phone: 615-259-8228 Or e-mail: bsmietana@tennessean.com. (The usual OPSEC rules apply…)

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Allan S. found this Australian web page instructive: The Food “Lifeboat”: Food and nutrition considerations in the event of a pandemic or other catastrophe. (Don’t forget the Vegemite!)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Here we live in a country that has a fabulous constitution and all these guarantees, a contract between the citizens and the government – nobody knows what’s in it. It’s one of the best kept secrets. And so, if you don’t know what your rights are, how can you stand up for them? And furthermore, if you don’t know what is in that document, how can you care if someone is shredding it?” – Frank Zappa (1940 – 1993), as quoted by Spin Magazine, July 1991

Letter Re: G.O.O.D. Advice for College Students

James,
Our family recently found your book and blog. We are working diligently to prepare. One question I have not seen addressed: What do you think about sending a child to college? We are a conservative, Christian, home schooling family. Our daughter has been looking forward to attending a small Christian college that is about 1-1/2 hours from our home. Now that we are awake we are feeling that keeping her close to home as we prepare to relocate is best. Any thoughts? – S. in Southern California

JWR Replies: A college that is just a 1-1/2 hour drive is probably close enough, especially if she has her own car. But living in Southern California–with both earthquake risk and a high crime rate–be sure to identify and practice driving several alternate routes on surface streets and back roads, just in case she must “Get Out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.)

As a backup, keeping a Montague folding bicycle–kept chained to the bed frame in her dorm room–could get your daughter home, even in the event of a major earthquake that causes road closures. Montague folding bikes are available from Safecastle, one of our loyal advertisers.

I also strongly recommend self defense training for your daughter–both firearms and martial arts. (The latter is important for Californians, since open carry of firearms is effectively banned, and concealed carry permits are very difficult to obtain in most of the more populous counties.) She should attend Front Sight or Gunsite, and one of the better full contact martial arts schools that teaches an art with plenty of kicks and punches (such as Tae Kwon Do), and then perhaps she might move on to one of the advanced grappling arts (such as JuJitsu).

Oh, and as previously mentioned in the blog, I recommend that the first two years of college credits be obtained by a combination of CLEP tests and on-line courses. Not only is this less expensive than resident on-campus classes, but it also will keep your child safely at home for a couple of extra years.

Letter Re: It Takes a Tiller

Hello Jim,
Anyone serious about food production needs to have a quality rear-tined tiller such as a Troy-Bilt. However the cost can be prohibitive,close to $2,000 for the seven horsepower model. But be patient and keep an eye on auctions, classified ads, etc. Two weeks ago a good friend picked up an older model Troy-Bilt at an auction for $450. We were both like kids at Christmas (I already have mine).
This brings up another point. This same friend had always been a guns and ammo kind of prepper. After several months of convincing he has finally seen the need to be well rounded in his preps. Weapons are important but far from the most important. His Troy-Bilt tiller is partial proof that he is changed his mindset.
Take care, – Jeff in Ohio

Letter Re: A Possible Blunder with Bulk-Packed Storage Food

Mr. Rawles,
We have recently found that we have also made a food storage blunder and hope to prevent someone else from doing the same. Following the eat what you store and store what you eat advice, we store a good bit of rice. We purchase buckets at the local big box home store and thought we were doing ourselves a favor by adding one more thing to keep the rice fresh in our humid climate. We put the rice in the “clean” looking white kitchen trash bags, using them as a liner, and then in the buckets. We did this more than eight months ago and just found out from routine internet reading and education, that all trash bags are coated with pesticides. I guess this is common knowledge in the food storage arena, but even after doing this for years, we somehow missed that one. We are not sure what to do with the rice now, whether we can just take the rice out and remove the liner or if we need to pitch it. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you. – Lori

JWR Replies: You should contact the manufacturer to determine whether that particular type of trash bag is “food grade”. Be sure to ask if they are treated with pesticides or any other toxic chemicals. If not, then the food in question should be fine.