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Two Letters Re: Procuring Reliable Workhorse Bikes -- Take Advantage of the Single Speed Fad
James
I am a daily multi-modal commuter taking an armored bus into Jerusalem and
then cycling from the bus station to my kollel. Before my move to
Israel, I only drove
my 4x4 truck several times a month and did about 50-to-70 miles a week by
pedal power. I did once try using Slime in my tubes but this makes for a
difficult
ride, wasting immense amounts of effort due to the natural imbalance of slimed
tires. I also found that it is also impossible to patch slimed tires. My
advice is to get a good tire like the Kevlar Schwalbe Marathon tire, although
some
may
not
want
the reflective paint on this tire for OPSEC, I have also had good use from
the Specialized brand CrossRoads mountain/road tire. Unless the cycle rider
is planning to go 100% soft road it is better to occasionally walk the bike
and gain the efficiency of a smooth roll center strip.
Since most of us are
not equestrian experts and since animals can be such a danger especially
if regular medical care is unavailable, a bicycle should be part of nearly
every persons preparation purchases right after a basic defensive firearm,
camping gear, and several months of backup food
and a way
to cook it. I also suggest every reader find a mechanic that they can trust at
a local bicycle shop who can help evaluate any potential purchases so you don't
buy used or new junk which will sit in the garage attracting rust and often teach
you to fix the problems, he will also help you collect the tools and parts needed
to keep it running even if he is not there. Your bicycle is the most efficient
form of powered transport known to man so you will easily feel any inefficiencies
when pedaling up a big hill, this is probably your future daily means of transport,
don't sell yourself short. See also Sheldon
Brown for
how to work on a bicycle and Crazy
Guy on a Bike for cycle camping and long tours. - David in Israel (SurvivalBlog's
Correspondent in Israel)
Mr. Rawles -
I noticed your recommendation to use extra-thick inner tubes and Slime for
tires on survival bicycles. Excellent advice, but may I suggest an alternative
I have used on my bicycles -- air
free tires. There are alternative suppliers
as well but these have worked well for me. The tires use solid, dense polyurethane
and are offered with varying densities/elasticities to match various tire PSI
ratings. One caveat is that they are a bear to get on the rim, and you'll
likely have to re-true the rim once on.
Since I live in a very cactus-infested part of Arizona, these have been a
blessing. I've even picked up nails without any problems (other than having
to stop and pull them out with a Leatherman tool .)
I love the blog. I've been a reader of yours for years, in the far distant
past from the misc.survivalism [Usenet] newsgroup [in the late 1980s and early
1990s].
Regards, - "Harmless Fuzzy Bunny"
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Letter Re: Procuring Reliable Workhorse Bikes -- Take Advantage of the Single Speed Fad
Jim,
Due to a current fad in single-speed bicycles, mountain bikes are re-selling
very inexpensively. Used, [15-speed] mountain bikes for around $200 for what
had been $1,200 bicycles, on average. With smooth tires, puncture sealing
inner-tubes, lights,
fenders,
and a rack
or
basket,
this
can haul
groceries or get you to work in the event of a temporary fuel shortage
such as we just
experienced in the Southeast a month ago. No gas in Nashville, indeed!
Not a perfect solution, but better than losing your job for lack of trying.
Get
into cycling,
once a week, so you can learn how to maintain a bike, develop the skill
and muscles to do so, and figure out the good accessories versus the trash.
Like
with camping, there's a lot of useless dross out there, and a fair bit
of gold once
you figure out what works. $200 + $200 in accessories = commuter bicycle.
Or buy one special-made if you prefer. Still, a commuter bike in the
garage, ridden
weekly, is better than getting on a waiting list when the fuel runs out.
Just because its $54 per barrel now doesn't mean it won't zoom back to
$145 per barrel once the
new President says or does something stupid in the Middle East.
Some background on the one speed fad: I think the single-speed bikes became
popular in Portland first, though it might have started in San Francisco with
the Bike
Messengers
10 years
ago,
its only just caught on in Pleasanton, California, Davis, California, and the
rest of the bike-riding elite-areas. I love my mountain bike, but its so
fast on slick tires. Cheap mountain bikes with slick tires are a modification
that was inspired
by converting dirt bike motorcycles to street racers, called "motards",
using slick tires. This works well and has lots of torque. Recommended for
users with cruddy roads since they have 6-8 inches of wheel travel for potholes
and require less gear shifting than a Ninja 250R or Suzuki TU250. Best, -
Inyokern
JWR Replies: That is great advice. OBTW, I recommend retrofitting
any "workhorse"
type bicycles with extra-thick inner tubes, and then "Sliming" them.
This provides tires
that
are nigh-on
impervious
to
typical puncture flat tires. Used, low-mileage mountain bikes can often be
found on Craig's
List for a just a fraction of what they sell for in bike shops.
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Letter Re: Michigan's Upper Peninsula as a Retreat Locale
Hello James:
A
recent letter from a reader mentioned that he was looking for a retreat.
If I remember correctly, that person lived in the Washington D.C. area. You
had
suggested
Tennessee
and
Michigan's
Upper Peninsula (UP)
as retreat possibilities.One disadvantage
of Michigan's
UP for that particular reader is that to get to the UP, they will have
to drive through, or very close to, Pittsburgh,
Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, and Saginaw.
The Old Uooper was on-target regarding the challenges of living in many places
in the UP both microclimate and soil are key factors. My personal choice
would be to live within 20 miles of Lake Michigan or Lake Huron. There, soils
are
limestone-based and
it truly is the Banana Belt. - Joe H.
JWR Replies: Actually, that particular reader lives in New
Jersey, and commutes daily to New York City. But the issue that you raise is
still quite valid.
So much of the eastern US is urbanized that it will make any planned "11th
Hour" travel during a
crisis a dicey proposition. As I've written many times, I highly recommend
permanently relocating to one of the the more fertile regions of the Intermountain
West. (See my Recommended
Retreat Locales web page for some general recommendations, and my book
"Rawles
On Retreats and Relocation" for even greater detail, with instructive
maps.) I realize that that because of work and family commitments, this is
not practical
for most preppers that currently live in the east. For those of you that
decide to stay where you are, I recommend that you watch the news closely and
be
ready to bug out on very short notice. You need to be already on the road
to your retreat while everyone else is still glued to their televisions, sizing
up the situation. This way
you
can Get
Out of Dodge ahead of the Golden Horde. If you hesitate you will
end up in a monumental traffic jam. This necessitates having a well-stocked
retreat--so that you don't have to waste
any time packing.
Also, be sure
to do a detailed study
of secondary
road routes to your retreat--avoiding all freeways and most highways.
A lot of the old ""farm to market" routes are ideal. Practice
driving those routes, both day and night. A well-prepared family always
has a Plan B and
Plan C.
One
of these
plans
should
address a
situation
where you must hunker down at home.
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Letter Re: A Suggested Checklist for Preparedness Newbies
Here's a beginner's list I made for my [elderly] father today:
Food
{Brown pearl] rice does not store well. Neither does cooking oil so that needs to be fresh.
No, Crisco doesn't count.
Coconut oil would be your best bet.
Wheat berries - 400 pounds - bulk order at your local health food store
Beans - 400 pounds - bulk order at your local health food store
Mylar bags
Spices
Salt
Country Living grain mill
propane tanks, small stove and hoses to connect
freeze dried fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat if you can find them.
Water
500 gallons
of water [storage capacity. Rainwater catchment is a common practice
in Hawaii]
Water filter
Cooking
Cast Iron Cookware
Firearms
FN PS 90
10 PS 90 magazines
5.7 handgun
10 FN 5.7 handgun magazines
5.7 ammo
Training: Front Sight four day defensive
handgun course. (Note: eBay sometimes has
course certificates for $100!)
Body armor: Nick at BulletProofME.com
Medical
Personal medications
Augmentin antibiotic
Up to date dental work
Painkillers
Bandages
Iodine
Anti-fungal spray
Finances
$10,000 cash in small bills
100 one-ounce silver coins (GoldDealer.com or Tulving.com)
Transport
Gasoline in 5 gallon cans or better yet, this.
Gas stabilizer
Mountain bikes
Air pump
Miscellany
Flashlights
Rechargeable Batteries
Battery
charger
Hand held walkie talkies
Topographical map of your area
Spare eyeglasses
Shortwave radio
Home generated power
12 volt battery system
Good backpack
Good knife
Good compass
Good shoes
Bar soap
Toothbrushes
Dental floss
Toilet paper
Fishing kit
Salt licks
Connibear traps
Regards, - SF in Hawaii
JWR Adds: The following is based on the assumption that SF's
father also lives in Hawaii: Because of the 10 round magazine limit for handguns,
I recommend that Hawaiians purchase only large
bore
handguns for self defense--such
as .45
ACP.
Both the
Springfield
Armory XD .45 Compact or the Glock Model 30 would both be good choices. The "high
capacity" advantage of smaller caliber
handguns
is not available to civilians in Hawaii, so you might as well get a more potent
man stopper, given the arbitrary 10 round limitation.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. Romeo
Retreat: Live-aboard 30-Foot Sailboat
Age: One male 34 years old
Background: Grew up in small town next to Vandenberg Air Force Base, watching
missiles being launched and sometimes blown up ["flight terminated"]
over the ocean. I always knew that seeing one missile being launched meant "test"
and that two or more mean "imminent death". Grew up with most "toys" being
bought at army surplus stores. My brother and I were the only kids who when
we played "war" dressed
in full army gear, complete with combat boots, helmet with outer cloth cover
stuffed with branches, belt with two canteens, belt back pack, shovel, ammo
cases,
full camo clothes...the list goes on and on.
I moved to a southern California
harbor 40 miles from Santa Cruz Island about two
years ago to be closer to work (and distance myself from the nuke magnet--Vandenberg
AFB).
I have been getting everything on the boat ship shape for last two years.
I have also been buying survival gear suited for an ocean retreat WTSHTF.
Annual Income: Was $46,000 a year until I got laid off three months ago.
Investments: So far 30 grams Pamp Suisse bullion, survival gear, food stores
Present Home: 30 foot Catalina Sloop sailboat that was but in the 1970s.
I have upgraded the rear stern rails to ones with incorporated rear seats,
repaired
both sails, replaced the lifelines, replaced all essential lighting with
solar powered LED lighting and have kerosene backup lighting in every berth.
I also
have solar powered exterior lighting.
For entertainment I have an XPower solar power pack that will charge my Creative
Zen and portable DVD player starting from dead batteries with a one day charge
on the power pack. That gives me 3-4 hours of DVDs and 11-12 hours of MP3 music
a
day, every
day [for pennies in the lifetime cost of the system]. I have spare new batteries
for all three units in the boat. Since I live aboard I am tax exempt and only
pay $45 USD every two years for craft registration. I also have to pay $20
USD once a year to have harbor patrol give me a live aboard safety inspection.
Insurance is $400 a year.
Vehicles: I have a 2005 Tank Urban Sporty 150cc scooter made out of chineseum
and a 1999 Honda civic LEV (low emissions vehicle), they cost about $120 USD
a year for registration and about $600 a year to insure with the minimum required
by law. The scooter gets about 60-to 80 mpg and the Civic gets 30-38 mpg but
I mostly ride the scooter.
Firearms: Winchester 12 gauge semi auto with 300+ rounds
of birdshot (also have bandoleer that holds 50 rounds). Compound bow and
arrows. Flare gun and 10 flares. About 60 yards cheap floating rope. (This
is a defensive weapon) to foul the props of any would be attacking boats Just
cut it into 10 foot strips and throw into water. I also have a machete, an
axe, a Blackie Collins design Gerber clip lock serrated knife as well as about
30 other (various) knives.
Gardens/Orchards/Food source: What's the biggest highway in the world that
is full of food? The ocean, it is also the biggest moat in the world.
Property Tax: None.
Communications: VHF radio handheld and onboard units for emergency use, cell
phone for domestic calls.
Food Storage: 50 pounds of rice, large supply of canned ham, large supply of
canned food, I have also stored a lot of extra salt and cooking oil onboard
for bartering purposes. I have room to store 20 gallons water built into the
boat and have room for about 50 more gallons in storage.
Fuel Storage: 20 gallon tank built into the boat, five gallon tank in the dinghy
and 5-1 gallon tanks under the cockpit seats.
Survival gear: Propane barbeque with extra canisters of LP,
PUR Survivor 06-LL Desalinator Watermaker, 400 count 65 mg potassium iodide
tablets sealed in
factory bottles,
solar lighting
inside and out, solar fan that I made that works day and night.
Two fishing poles and assorted fishing tackle, Sailrite lsz-1 sail and canvas
sewing machine with heavy duty stainless steel hand crank for use offshore.
And of course the assorted tools needed to keep the boat working.
Worst Case Scenario: Economic collapse, nuclear war, Waterworld, tsunami,
civil unrest, corrupt government declaring martial law, you name it. I am
just a
power cord and four dock lines from New Zealand via Hawaii or Baja California
to Mexico.
The thin veneer that holds "civilized" society from becoming something
like the Rodney King riots is not as thick as you might think. Like a castle
with a large moat, like an island or an oil rig is how I plan to bug out.
Since owning
the sailboat I have traveled over 400 miles in five trips to the islands and
in that time I've used perhaps one gallon of gas.
Blow ships are the cat's meow when it comes to efficiency. Top sailing speed
(so far) 9.4 knots under full main and 120% jib.
JWR's Recommends: Increase your food storage! Buy as much
as can possibly fit in the space available. You should also increase your solar
charging capacity so that you
can keep
your
deep cycle
batteries
(for VHF
radio, navigation, and cell phone charging, et cetera) topped off, even without
running your auxiliary engine.
For defense, first buy 50 rifled slugs and at least 100
buckshot 12 gauge shells (000 is the best pellet size for shipboard defense.)
You should then add a scoped stainless steel .308 or .30-06 bolt action rifle
for
"stand-off"
self
defense
against
pirates. (A stainless
steel Browning A-Bolt with
a half dozen spare magazines would be ideal. Second choice would be a Winchester
Model 70 Classic Stainless.)
Buy at least 500 rounds of .30 caliber ammunition--a mix of
AP, ball
(FMJ), and soft nose. BTW, it
is too
bad
that
you
can't buy tracer
ammo
in
California. If
you lay down accurate fire with AP ammo at 450 yards, pirates will
go
find someone
else to
pick on!
I also
recommend
that
you
add an intrusion
detection system to your deck, to alert you if anyone attempts to
board your sailboat when you are berthed or anchored at night. Also, if your
budget allows, buy at least six large white
parachute flares, so that you
can engage targets with
your rifle
at night.
And if you can afford it, also get a headset-type night vision monocular,
such as
an
AN/PVS-7B. Get firearms and medical training as soon as you can afford them.
(Low-cost training is available from the American
Red Cross, the Appleseed
Program, and the WRSA.)
Buy a spare membrane and any other key spare parts for your desalinator. I
recommend that you get as much blue water sailing experience as possible Since
you've
been
laid
off,
it could be a great opportunity. You might
try
networking
to find
a trans-pac yacht
crew/security position. (Check Craig's
List and CrewFile.com
for openings.)
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Advice on Silver Coins for Barter »
Letter Re: Recreational Vehicles and Investing in Tangibles
Jim,
Thank you for the blog and all the great info you put out. I have a couple
of questions that I would like to ask you, but first a little info about
myself. I am a 40 year old male with a wife and two kids. I live in Kansas,
I work
at a large manufacturing plant and my wife works for a insurance company.
We have a mortgage and other dept. I would like to buy some land out of town
and build a retreat for my family and myself for when TSHTF but
can not afford it right now. My grandfather though does own land about a
hour north of here. I was wondering what you thought about buying a RV,
stocking it with supplies and when the time comes bugging out in that. Also
you are always saying to invest in tangibles, What do you recommend ? Thirty
round magazines? Ammunition? Barter items? Right now I have about $1,000
to invest but I am lost as to what to buy. I already have my protection squared
away so that is not an issue. Once again thank you for all you do and I wish
your wife a full and speedy recovery. - Mike in the Great Plains
JWR Replies: I'm fairly certain that you are suggesting an RV strictly as
a one-way "Get
Out of Dodge" (G.O.O.D.)
vehicle to get to your grandfather's farm, rather than as a vague concept for
retreating. For any readers that might consider wandering aimlessly in an RV,
see this narrative that I wrote in the early days of SurvivalBlog:
“Land mobile” retreating in a recreational vehicle (RV) is another
invitation to disaster. In a TEOTWAWKI situation,
a fixed location retreat is vastly superior to going mobile. In my opinion the
myth of ”Road Warrior” mobility and firepower is in actuality
just an expanded opportunity to wander into ambush after
ambush. No vehicle short of a $70,000+ Cadillac
Gage V100 wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC) would have both the
cargo capacity and the ballistic protection required. (A little Ferret
scout car just doesn't have the capacity. I speak from personal experience
on that!) Also, consider that you would need a pair of APCs to provide
mutually supporting defensive fire. And then of course you will probably
want a belt-fed for each. With spares, ammo, and accessories that is an additional
$3,000 per vehicle.
If by chance you already have a fully stocked retreat established
and have $150,000 in cash laying around for a couple of ultimate G.O.O.D.
vehicles, see: Dave Uhrig’s
web site and then click on “Armor”. (I should mention that
I have done business with Dave Uhrig on two occasions. He is quite reputable.)
Here is a dose of reality for you: If you choose to go entirely vehicle mobile
then you will eventually lose a battle--most likely in a roadblock ambush--or
your RV will break down. Or it will run out of fuel--with some likelihood
that it will be on exposed terrain in an untenable situation. Also, since
the logistics that you could carry would be limited, you will start out with
an inherent disadvantage to fixed location retreats. This also creates the
prospect that once your food supplies are depleted you will be tempted to
take what you need from others. To paraphrase John Dibari (my high school
chemistry instructor) when he described troublemakers: “If you aren’t
part of the solution--you’re the precipitate.” (That is, someone
who precipitates trouble--part of the problem, not the solution.) Scratch
that idea!
Since you have a definite destination (your grandfather's
house), then you are better off just storing ("pre-positioning")
what you will need there, rather than trying cram what you will need into an
RV for an 11th Hour trip outta Dodge. Odds are that those items will be more
secure there, than if they were stored at your house in the Big City, anyway.
If his house lacks the requisite storage space perhaps he would be agreeable
to you buying a 20 foot CONEX for
your gear, and storing it there
In answer to your other question: See this
SurvivalBlog post from 2007 for my recommendations on buying full capacity
firearms magazines, for barter.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Good Compsec Practices for Preppers, by T. »
Letter Re: Suddenly Homeless on the Potomac--Some Preparedness Lessons Learned
Jim & Company,
I thought that I would communicate an interesting story for your web blog. As I write
this, I'm holed up in campground/RV park near the District of Columbia
(DC) Metropolitan area. How I got here was totally unexpected. My roommate
is female, a former army buddy and suffers from chronic depression---maybe
bi polar disorder. We maintained a platonic cohabitation for two months until
she swore a Temporary Peace Order against me because she felt “threatened”.
In the liberal pest hole of Maryland, that's all it takes. No battery, assault
or actual threats---I just yelled at her to clean up after her dog (perhaps
the 20th time she didn't do this) and, in the span of 24 hours the deputies
came, gave
me 10 minutes to get some things, then escorted me out of the property that I co-rented. That means I was instantly homeless
and without the time to assemble my preps.
Fortunately it was payday and I
had money for a hotel, an attorney, and what not. But the unbearable part was
having my Bug Out Bag and supplies in a residence that I could not approach
or enter under court order which gave me a very sickening feeling of what a fast
and unplanned for emergency can produce. My preps are centered around an emergency
that is slow coming with warning. Save for my camping/bug-out gear, most of
my preps cannot be moved rapidly (like 5 gallon buckets). Further, my emergency
plan calls for me to hunker down at my place of residence until things stop moving and I have time and latitude to maneuver and get to my bug-out site
for the longer duration. Being under the supervision of two sheriff's deputies
put a damper on grabbing my survival gear.
Grabbing my emergency cash, which is well-concealed (Go MI!) was problematic.
Through my attorney, I was able to pick up much of my camping/bugout gear
from the former residence. Tell 'ya what, having a good set of quality camping
and survival gear that can be hastily put together is a real boon. I purchase
good gear and 20+ years (and counting) in the military has given real appreciation
for quality equipment.
Not that an urban campground is primitive: hot and cold water, wireless Internet
and a laundry make it a perfect spot for temporary emergency stays and at $40/night,
much cheaper than a hotel room (in the DC Area, plan on $100 per night minimum for a single room
with a military discount). It sucks that I only have a tent to come home to,
but it beats living out of my Jeep Cherokee or in a box (or with the Housemate
from H*ll)
Yes, I was homeless that fast and a week of hotel living would have cost me
over $1,000. But having ready camping gear, for both camping and survival,
insured that I had a home of some sort and was able to take care of myself.
No homeless
shelter is going to put up a white collar professional.
Because my emergency required a lot of communications between me, my attorney
and the landlords of future domiciles I needed Internet access and voice comms.
My cell phone is unlocked and uses a pre-paid SIM card and can access almost
any cellular network. From Vermont to North Carolina I have cellular voice
communications. A GSM smartphone
is in my future as it can provide a secondary e-mail channel (PACE).
A laptop with Wi-Fi is almost a necessity in urban environments. In slow rolling “grid
down” situations, or a Balkans-like future
for America (which is probable)---communications infrastructure will be available, albeit intermittently. Without my survival
preps, I would have lasted two weeks in a hotel room until I ran out of money.
But now I can live virtually anywhere as a homeless white collar professional.
All of the trouble aside, it took me a week to adjust from living in townhouse
with all the amenities of modern life, to living without many of those amenities.
Being a survivalist, I took this as a learning experience to test both my
material and mental preparations. I forgot things when I had to vacate my premise,
like a can opener, but I did remember I placed several P38 [compact
military folding key ring] can openers throughout my gear and truck sometime
ago---just
sprinkled
them around. That was real relief. An additional relief came from the box of
matches I keep in the emergency box in my truck---believe me, after I left
my old digs, I was inventorying everything I had in the truck---another prep
was the $500 in cash that I keep to get me to my Bug Out Location.
Preparedness pays immense dividends that are not fully appreciated
until you need them. - Mark in Maryland
« Letter Re: Another SurvivalBlog Reader's Experience at Front Sight |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Getting Adult Family Members Home in Times of Crisis
Greetings, Mr. Rawles,
I need advice and I trust you implicitly in survival matters. Here's my issue:
I live in the country north of Tampa, Florida. Good dirt, well water (and well
bucket), dogs, garden, silver coins stashed away. We are ready for whatever
happens.
My 27 year old daughter lives in Austin, Texas. We have discussed her bugging
out to come home, or to her grandmother's home in Southwestern Alabama. She
is preparing her bugout pack today, and waiting to hear from me to tell her
to come
home.
My question is this: At what point do I tell her to head home? What will I
see or read that will make me pull the trigger to put this girl on the road?
How will I know when it's time, and allow enough time for her to get as far
as possible in her car?
I would really rather have her in Florida with me, but her grandmother is much
closer, and also in the country. If I want my daughter here, with me, how much
time....
I guess that's my question - how much time do you think we have, it's now Friday
at 2:30, and the market is about to drop below 8,000. How much time before
the meltdown? At what state of preparedness should I have my kid??
Please help. Thank you for your fabulous work. - Terri L.
JWR Replies: First let me say I expect this to be a slow
slide. But also let me say that I am not a prophet. I am all too human. For
example, like a lot of people I got a lot more motivated by Y2K than
the situation warranted.
It is probably not yet the time to call your daughter home--not
unless she
would
like to move
back
to
Florida,
anyway.You might want to discuss this with her at length. A lot of it might
revolve around her work situation: Can she take a leave of absence from her
work, and
then
return to Texas if things "blow
over"?
Does she have vacation on the books that she can "burn"?
Regardless, advise her to henceforth always keep
her car's tank at least 3/4 full whenever returning to her home at the end
of the day.
She should probably now store some full five gallon gas cans, since the
trip will require a couple of re-fills. Does she have a trailer for her vehicle?
Perhaps she
can store some gas with your relatives in Alabama, as a halfway re-fill point.
For now, just monitor
the news closely. See: Mark 13:32, KJV. Pray fervently. Our nation needs
it.
« Note from JWR: |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Getting Adult Family Members Home in Times of Crisis
Greetings, Mr. Rawles,
I need advice and I trust you implicitly in survival matters. Here's my issue:
I live in the country north of Tampa, Florida. Good dirt, well water (and well
bucket), dogs, garden, silver coins stashed away. We are ready for whatever
happens.
My 27 year old daughter lives in Austin, Texas. We have discussed her bugging
out to come home, or to her grandmother's home in Southwestern Alabama. She
is preparing her bugout pack today, and waiting to hear from me to tell her
to come
home.
My question is this: At what point do I tell her to head home? What will I
see or read that will make me pull the trigger to put this girl on the road?
How will I know when it's time, and allow enough time for her to get as far
as possible in her car?
I would really rather have her in Florida with me, but her grandmother is much
closer, and also in the country. If I want my daughter here, with me, how much
time....
I guess that's my question - how much time do you think we have, it's now Friday
at 2:30, and the market is about to drop below 8,000. How much time before
the meltdown? At what state of preparedness should I have my kid??
Please help. Thank you for your fabulous work. - Terri L.
JWR Replies: First let me say I expect this to be a slow
slide. But also let me say that I am not a prophet. I am all too human. For
example, like a lot of people I got a lot more motivated by Y2K than
the situation warranted.
It is probably not yet the time to call your daughter home--not
unless she
would
like to move
back
to
Florida,
anyway.You might want to discuss this with her at length. A lot of it might
revolve around her work situation: Can she take a leave of absence from her
work, and
then
return to Texas if things "blow
over"?
Does she have vacation on the books that she can "burn"?
Regardless, advise her to henceforth always keep
her car's tank at least 3/4 full whenever returning to her home at the end
of the day.
She should probably now store some full five gallon gas cans, since the
trip will require a couple of re-fills. Does she have a trailer for her vehicle?
Perhaps she
can store some gas with your relatives in Alabama, as a halfway re-fill point.
For now, just monitor
the news closely. See: Mark 13:32, KJV. Pray fervently. Our nation needs
it.
« Letter Re: Males - 15-25 Will Be the Most Dangerous Segment of Our Population in TEOTWAWKI |Main| Note from JWR: »
Like Something Out of a Novel--Some Predictions for 2009-to-2019
The economic headlines in the past couple of weeks have sounded like
something out of a disaster novel that I once read wrote. The international
financial and equities markets are spinning out of control, with seemingly
wider and
wider gyrations with each passing day. Since there are so many variables,
the end
result is
difficult to firmly predict, but one thing is clear: It will be neither
easy nor pleasant. My
current
prediction
is that
the governments of the English-speaking nations and Europe will co-conspire
with
the banksters to concoct the most grandiose Mother of All Bailouts (MOABs)
yet. This will be even bigger than the
MOAB that I predicted, early in 2008.
The multi-trillion dollar multinational MOAB will inject liquidity--in the
form of magically-created Dollars, Pounds, and Euros--in such enormous quantities
that it will calm the markets, at least for a while. But the by-product will
be consumer price inflation that has never been witnessed in modern times except
in the region north of the Limpopo river and south of the Zambezi river.
In the long run, the fractional
reserve banking and fiat
currency regimes
used today are doomed to failure. Both are lovely fictions that can only persist
in expanding markets and when guided by the most altruistic managers. Any
serious contraction
of the underlying economy will inevitably bring both to a crashing halt. Perhaps,
in the aftermath of te ongoing credit collapse, wiser heads will prevail,
and private
credit clearing circles will develop, instead of re-creating the
same
government-sanctioned
fractional banking scheme that created the current crisis.
What Happened?
The
last few years have been an anomaly. Led by Ben Bernanke and his predecessor "Easy
Al" Greenspan, the Masters of the Universe that headed many of the central
banks in the First World attempted to forestall a recession
by
artificially
reducing
interest rates,
thereby creating bubbles in both real estate and equities valuations. All
their meddling has made matters worse. They have formed mountains of debt that
is classic malinvestment of the worst sort.
This debt creation was like winding up an enormous clock spring. Debts
were taken on by unworthy borrowers that never had a hope of repaying them,
and
then those
same
dodgy
debts were
re-packaged and re-sold to unwitting dupes--like pension funds in Denmark.
This explains
the
umpteen foreclosed
and
abandoned
tract homes that stretch from around
the DC Beltway to the
heartland of Ohio, to southern
California.
Inevitably all debt--whether good or bad--must be un-wound. And
the more malinvestment there is, the uglier and protracted this unwinding
process
gets. Instead of a recession, we will probably
witness the worst economic depression since
the 1930s.
That is the big picture. Now for some predictions on the next 10 years with
some possible implications for prepared families. Note: I
don't claim to be a prophet. These are just logical
extrapolations of trends, based on previous swings of the macro scale market
pendulum. So don't gather up stones for the event that things don't play out
exactly as I predict:
Simultaneous Deflation, and Inflation
As I've previously posited,
we are likely to see a wave of asset deflation at the same time that we have
consumer price inflation. How is this possible? See
the article that I posted back in February for an explanation. The bottom
line is that leverage
works both ways. The multiplier effect on fractional deposits works
in reverse whenever bank deposits decrease.
Derivatives
I've been warning SurvivalBlog readers about derivatives,
since late 2005. The multi-trillion dollar derivatives "casino" may soon be
in crisis. Thursday
Is D-Day: For Derivatives, as billions of dollars worth of contracts
on defaulted Credit Default Swap (CDS)
derivatives from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers and
Washington Mutual (WaMu) are settled. On Thursday, we'll find out what a
CDS derivative contract is
worth in the real world! Something tells me that these
once-touted "assets" are
going to suffer quite a haircut.
Bank Failures and Bank Runs .
As I've said before, more bank failures seem inevitable. There may also be
more bank runs--most likely invisible ones, where banks get cleaned out
by their creditors via margin calls by large depositors via wire transfers,
and by small
depositors via electronic banking. There may not be a a line of customers in
front of the banks doors. If you wait for that as an indicator, then you will
probably be too late. I've written this before, but it bears repeating: Be
sure to check
your bank or S&L's safety rating at least once a week. If
it drops below a "C" rating, then transfer your funds to a safer
bank, ASAP.
And, needless to say, never keep more than the FDIC limit in any one institution.
Thankfully, the
FDIC just raised the deposit insurance limits substantially, as did
their
counterparts in much of Europe.
Hedge Funds
I've discussed hedge funds at length in SurvivalBlog articles for
more than a year. Suffice it to say, the risk with hedge funds is huge.
I expect large quarterly waves of hedge fund redemptions--and
redemption suspensions in the next few months.
Real Estate
The real estate market--both residential and commercial--will very likely
continue to decline in the US for several years. The market will be flooded
with more and more foreclosed properties, in a downward spiral. One downside
to consider is
that the thousands of abandoned houses will become nests
for criminals.
In my estimation,
the only thing that will stop te decline in nominal dollar figure declines
will be
the eventual mass
inflation
of the US Dollar. Hence, it will appear that real estate prices have "stabilized",
and then "turned around" in a couple of years. By in real terms
(adjusted for inflation), the genuine bottom of the market probably won't
be for another
five years. By that time, American homeowners will have lost an average of
60% of the "coulda-woulda" value of their homes. I expect he declines to
continue
as
long as the credit
drought persist, and until the massive glut of inventory is purchased.
For the next few years it will be a buyer's market, and cash will
be king.
Anyone sitting on cash will be able
to
buy
up
assets
at
ridiculously
low prices--as
the economic
pendulum
swings
beyond the point of logical price neutrality. Sit tight, watch the listings
closely, and buy at the bottom. You can find distressed properties--including
some good rural survival retreat properties--at Foreclosures.com. If
you plan to do some "bottom fishing", a subscription to this service is money
well spent.
Unemployment and Dislocation
Large corporate layoffs are a fact of life in any recession. Be ready for
them, by minimizing your debts. A family food reserve is insurance for unemployment
just as well as it is for natural disasters. If the recession turns into a
depression, we can expect some huge layoffs. This will mean lots of families
will be moving--either to seek work elsewhere or because they can no longer
meet their monthly house payments. This however, might create some opportunities.
Storage companies, estate auction firms, relocation
services,
rental property managers,
home security companies, locksmiths, relocation
specialists, and contractors that specialize in
home renovation might all prosper. (After all, someone has to refurbish all
those abandoned houses for the bankers.)
Stocks
It has been said that "a rising tide lifts all ships." Sadly, the inverse
is true, as well. I expect substantial further declines in stock prices. Price-to-Earnings
(P/E) ratios might drop to as low as 7-to-1. (Where many manufacturing stocks
have traditionally bottomed in major recessions.) In my estimation most of
the current P/E ratios are still much too high for these troubled times. When
I
last checked
(after the
recent 800+ point two-day drop in the DJIA), I found the following P/Es quoted,
in a quick, quasi-random sampling of big names that jumped out at me:
Amazon -- 42.56-to-1
Apple Computer -- 17.43-to-1
Caterpillar Inc. -- 7.78-to-1
Coca-Cola -- 19.95-to-1
eBay -- 43.31-to-1
Google -- 22.73-to-1
Lockheed Martin -- 13.06-to-1
Microsoft -- 12.44-to-1
QQQ (which is like buying the entire NASDAQ) -- 19.79-to-1
Real Networks -- 81.73-to-1
Unilever -- 14.24-to-1
Xerox -- 13.17-to-1
Do the math. It isn't a pretty prospect, but many stock prices have a lot
farther to fall. My advice is to sell on the market
rallies, and buy tangibles with the proceeds.
Cars and Trucks
Again, like real estate, you'll have the opportunity to
buy at the bottom of the market, perhaps in five of six years.
Have you ever wanted to own a classic car? This may be your chance, especially
if it is a gas-guzzling big block classic car. I predict that in
2015 you'll be able to buy a fully-restored late-1960s Muscle Car for perhaps
1/8th
of its current
price.
(Well, in dollars adjusted for inflation, that is.) But of course to make
that a practical tangible
investment, you should instead get a classic military
vehicle, such as a Dodge Power Wagon. (Or, for our european readers
with a retreat in North Karelia, make that a Unimog
DOKA.)
Cash Will Be King, and then Cash Will Be Trash
Once inflation starts to kick in, it will be absolutely essential for you
to parlay all of your remaining dollar-denominated investments
into durable and liquid tangibles. Do do before the dollar evaporates. If you
haven't done so already, now would
be a good time to start.
« Sometimes We Actually Get Through to Our Family Members |Main| Notes from JWR: »
From Our Correspondent in Argentina: What to Expect
SurvivalBlog's correspondent in Argentina received the following e-mail:
FerFAL:
I greatly value your experience in Argentina. Since you have traveled in the
U.S., I would like to know what you think will be the impact of our relative
lack of corruption, at least at local levels, to what we may face in our coming
economic crisis. Perhaps a separate post on the subject, if you have time?
Here was his reply:
This is where things get more into the “guesstimating” territory.
Nothing is for sure and all we have is certain situations being more probable
than others.
Inflation
That is already occurring and will likely get worse. Not only in actual prices
going up, but in more “hidden” ways, such as servings and packs
getting suspiciously smaller but keeping their old price, which will later
rise even more.
Here for example, small pudding chocolate desert cups, called Danet and made
by Nestle, are surprisingly small, something that you empty in 4 or 5 teaspoons.
But the advertisement on TV, says something like “The perfect size to
keep your figure!”
These marketing guys aren’t exactly rocket scientists.:)
You can imagine our surprise when we traveled to Spain and found the exact
same chocolate desert/snack cup, Danet by Nestle, but with a cup nearly 4 times
bigger!
Inflation at first just pisses you off. But as it gets out of control it turns
into a serious problem: Suddenly you find that you already ran out of money
a few days or a week before the end of the month.
That’s when you see that due to inflation, you can’t keep on going
like this you need to reduce expenses.
But what happens when you reduce them as much as you can, inflation is still
going up and your salary just doesn’t compensate.
That’s what I mean when I said you should already start looking for new
ways of making money.
Security
That’s probably our greatest problem and eventually crime will get worse
in USA because of all this as well.
Here’s were the differences may come into play: America’s police
isn’t nearly as corrupt as the police in Argentina, so that will work
for your advantage.
But on the other hand, you guys have a more diverse population, which we don’t,
and that may contribute to more social disorder.
Anyway, as mentioned in several posts, be prepared to take care of your own
security. Safety habits are very important and it’s not goof enough that
you are reading this, your entire family must be along with you in the same
boat on this matter.
What’s the use in being Mr. Tactical killing machine when your 16 year
old daughter doesn’t listen and will spend nearly an hour talking with
her boyfriend at the front door--the door opened door for anyone that wants
to force their way in.
Also if you are Mr. Tactical bad a**, chances are they won't go after you,
but after the weakest link of the chain ( your kids and wife)
Stress
As mentioned before, expect a lot of emotional problems from people. Suicides
may become more common, at least that’s what happened here as well. It
got to point were we had 2 or 3 guys killing themselves under the train each
week. Total chaos to get to downtown.
I don’t know man, things just change a lot.
For example, I was telling the guys at Minionreport the other day.
We were talking with my son the other day and we talked about what he wants
to be when he grows up. He’s six years old.
Doctor, soldier, fireman, astronaut, those were okay according to him, all
those except policeman.
“Why not policeman” we asked puzzled.
“Because they get killed a lot, everyday a policeman dies on the news,
a policeman got shot today, a policeman was killed today. No no policeman”
My wife ad I didn’t know what to say. I mean, it is true, we just didn’t
expect him to notice. And children do notice even if grownups hope they don’t.All
the small things
Impossible to mention them all, but one thing you can expect in a country that
has little money to spend due to the crisis, is for services and infrastructure
to suffer.
Expect power going down more often due to lack of maintenance. Store several
LED lights and install emergency lights. A generator will be needed, also see
about installing electric protections against high voltage surges when power
comes back up.
Expect water to become of worse quality, get a filter even if you have supposedly
potable tap water. One day it may not be that potable any more.
Roads are something that go bad surprisingly fast. Expect them to rot because
of little maintenance due to lack of funds, specially after heavy rains.
Within a year or so, you may start seeing holes on the road, some of them real
craters, and busting a tire in one of them is no joke.
I already spent a small fortune fixing everything that goes wrong in my car
due to the poor conditions of the streets here.
What else? We’ll just have to wait and see. - FerFAL
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| From FerFAL in Argentina: A US Crash that Will Parallel Argentina's? »
Letter Re: AVGAS as an Alternative Source of Gasoline During Spot Shortages
James,
I’m sort of reluctant to share this because, well, I might need to do
it someday and its value is in the fact that most people don’t know it.
During Hurricane Ike my uncle, who lives in Houston, acquired use of a generator.
That’s an interesting story in itself so I’ll divert for a second
and elaborate: He didn’t own a generator but his next door neighbor did.
Unfortunately, the neighbor had never run the generator and when they needed
it, it wouldn’t start. My uncle is a trained mechanic (former career)
and was able to fix it. In return for his help, the neighbor allowed my uncle
to run an extension cord over to his house to keep the fridge and freezer going.
This underscores the importance of having practical skills. Even if you can’t
afford to store a lot of tangibles, having valuable skills can allow you to
barter work for the things you need. I know you’ve said that a million
times. Well there’s a shining example of the truth in it.
Back to the point I wanted to make: They didn’t have enough gas
for the generator and quickly ran out. The stations were out, and even if they
had gas, there was no power to pump it. So… My uncle is also a private
pilot and flies out of a local general aviation airport. Almost all public
airports sell AVGAS,
[(aviation gasoline), one grade of] which is just highly refined 100 octane
gasoline. It works fine in both cars and equipment [such as generators]. Nobody
was flying in or out, which
left the airport well stocked with gas and apparently, they also had a way
to pump it. He drove up there and bought all he wanted. The only people who
thought to buy avgas were other pilots. They bought all they could use. No
lines, no competition, no fighting.
I’m not suggesting this as an alternative to keep a sufficient supply
of fuel on hand. But it’s an additional resource if your supply runs
out. As I read about the gas shortages in the southeast (right now), all I
can think is that there are probably dozens if not hundreds of pilots gassing
their cars up with avgas… and doing it very quietly. Best, - Matt R.
JWR Replies: Thanks for that reminder. (Using AVGAS in ground
vehicles has been mentioned a few times in the blog.) Just keep in mind that
there could be road
tax
issues,
at least in most English-speaking
countries. Also, most AVGAS (such as 100LL), is made in leaded formulations and
those are not compatible for use with many of the newer vehicles that have
catalytic
converters. (Since leaded formulations quickly degrade catalytic
converters.)
« Letter Re: Home Canning and Stocking Up |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: My Preparedness Measures Pay Off During Fuel Shortage
Mr Rawles
You mentioned the current gasoline shortage in the southeast. The local news
media reported that 70% of the gas stations are empty and have been for three
days. To me it seems closer to 95%. Here is example: In south Nashville,
there is a major road called Nolensville Road. In a five mile mile stretch
from Thompson Lane
to Old Hickory Boulevard there are 26 gas stations. Not one of them has
had gas for several days. Within a two mile radius of that stretch of road
there are
55,000
residents.
That is a lot of people without gas. There have been fistfights at some of
the gas stations that have gas, but that is not being reported on the local
news.
As an enthusiastic SurvivalBlog reader for the past two years, I am not worried
because I am very prepared. For example, I keep 100 gallons as my bug out supply
to reach my retreat. In fact, I only need 10 gallons to get both of my cars
to
the retreat.
I think my wife finally seen the light about being prepared. She had always
looked a little strange at me when I would rotate my gas supply every six months.
There have been times that she thought I was a little nuts. But there was a
big smile on her face when I drug out those 5 gallon cans to filled her tank
up yesterday. I was also able to give 10 gallons to my neighbor--who is a single
mother and a school teacher--so she could go to work. Thank You, - Mike M.
in Tennessee
« Letter Re: Some Thoughts on Fuel Conservation WTSHTF |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: Advice on Get Out of Dodge Vehicles
James:
I have a question about cars: In making your G.O.O.D. vehicle,
which would be considered safer, a modern car with front and side airbags,
a modern
car
with airbags and a roll cage,
a modern car with airbags disabled/removed and a roll cage, or an old muscle
car without airbags but with roll cage? - SF in Hawaii
JWR Replies: To begin, from what I've read, most of the professional
drivers in the executive protection business drive with only the driver's
side airbags
disabled.
Based on what I've heard regarding what models are driven by the winners at
demolition derbies, a late 1960s to very early 1970s station wagon with a big
block engine
would
be ideal. They get pitifully low gas mileage, but they have lots of cargo room,
and they have clearance for a roll bar behind the bench-type front seat. You
can
also
add
a roof
rack for relatively lightweight items such as spare tires,.tentage, and camouflage
nets.
To my mind, perfection in a G.O.O.D. station wagon would be a flat brown-painted 1970
Buick Estate with a 455 cubic inch four-barrel V8 engine.
What a ride: Plenty of power, very tough in collisions, easy to maintain, EMP protection
even when near ground zero, and even a touch of class. (They are starting
to be considered classics,
so your neighbors
probably wouldn't object to one in your driveway.) But I'm not sure how many
rust-free 38-year-old vehicles are still available in the tropical climate
of Hawaii. ;-) I suppose that you could find one in Arizona or New Mexico
through
the
ads
in Hemming's
Motor News, but then subsequently transporting it to Hawaii
would probably be prohibitively expensive.
« Three Letters Re: Welding Oxygen Versus Medical Oxygen |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Two Letters Re: The EMP Threat May Be Worse Than We Had Thought
Hi Jim:
I understand about an EMP attack and it's possibilities to wreak havoc. But
I can't help but wonder when I hear about a possible future EMP attack if
we are trying to convince the terrorists through disinformation to detonate
their nuclear weapons at a safe altitude instead of over the capitol during
the state of the union speech.
I am thinking that for an EMP attack to be effective they would need at least
4 or 5 high yield nuclear weapons of at least 1 megaton each . These would
have to be evenly spread over the US relative to population density. Russia
could pull it off, and I am sure they would begin a nuclear attack an EMP.
But I think the EMP effects of one 15 kiloton range weapon a terrorist would
have would be isolated.
I could be wrong, but I can't help but wonder. - David
Jim:
That EMP report is good news.It shows that an EMP attack would cause
significant but not catastrophic disruptions in our critical national infrastructure,
and only scattered failures of cars,
computers, and other electronic devices. These facts are even more favorable
than I wrote in my e-mail to you in March of 2007. As I suspected, but couldn't
prove at the time, the anti-ESD structures
in modern semiconductors are very effective against EMP.
The report shows, for example, that there is no longer any strong reason to
avoid modern cars. Of 37 modern cars tested in the report, only three were
temporarily stopped when exposed to EMP while running, and all could be restarted.
Only one car experienced permanent damage, but that was to some unidentified
electronics in the dashboard apparently not affecting drivability.
From my experience in the electronics industry, I believe that the most modern,
most expensive cars-- the ones intended to last a long time-- are the most
survivable because they are more likely to incorporate better-designed, better-protected
and thus more-expensive electronics.
As another hard data point, modern radios are basically immune to EMP. The
report states "none of the radios tested showed any damage with EMP fields
up to 50 kV/m." The same circuits that protect radios from ESD to antennas
and controls protect them from EMP.
The report is quite definite: EMP is a serious threat to anything with long
wires, but not so much to anything small, portable, or mobile.
An EMP attack from a fission weapon would be harmful, especially to our power
and telecommunications systems, but the effect would be local and temporary--
not really very different from that of a hurricane or powerful earthquake.
You owe it to your readers to set the record straight on this topic - PNG
JWR Replies: Yes, that report is good news for automobiles
and mobile, battery-operated electronic devices with short antennas. However,
the huge, almost incalculable problem is that railroad networks, power
grids,
and to a lesser extent telephone systems serve as enormous antennas for EMP
that
can carry EMP for very long distances. In the event of a high altitude
megaton-range hydrogen bomb blast, this linear coupling will carry EMP
for hundreds of
miles beyond line of sight (BLOS).
Within that extended footprint it could potentially fry the microcircuits of
any device that is
plugged in to a utility power wall socket. There could be hundreds of billions
of dollars worth of short term damage and a multiple of that in long term damage
(loss of productivity) and along with it the risk of a societal collapse and
an enormous die-off due to dislocation, exposure, and disrupted chains of supply.
Linear coupling of EMP is one of the reasons that I discourage people from
installing "grid-tied"
photovoltaic power systems. Sure, it is great fun watching a power meter
run backwards and getting a check in the mail from your utility instead of
a bill for eight months of each year. But the EMP risk outweighs the benefits.
If you go solar, then make it a stand-alone system! Linear
coupling is also the reason that I advocate keeping
all of your spare radios and computers disconnected and stored in Faraday-shielded
containers whenever they are not being used.
What I took away from the report is confirmation of what I had concluded years
ago: That for next 10 to 30 years, the EMP threat posed by terrorists will
be localized, since
they
will
most
likely
have
access to low-yield fission bombs and will be most likely to employ them in
ground bursts with small "footprints". In ground bursts or in low-altitude
air bursts, the line of sight is limited, minimizing the EMP effect. But
in any case the linear coupling through the power grid could magnify the EMP
damage.
I concur with the report's finding that there is a the possibility of a massive
population loss in the event of a well-coordinated EMP attack by a major power
such as Russia or China. That scenario is a "time on target" attack
with multiple simultaneous high altitude air bursts of multi-megaton hydrogen
bombs.
Such an attack would blanket the entire continental United States with high
field strength EMP. The word "devastating" doesn't begin to convey
the long term
effects. We'd find ourselves back to both 19th Century technology and 19th
Century population levels. And, BTW, much of the most heavily populated portions
of
Canada and Mexico would receive extensive collateral EMP damage.
« Range Report: Advantage Arms .22 Conversion Kit for the Glock, by Everyday Prepper |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: The EMP Threat May Be Worse Than We Had Thought
Mr Rawles,
Your readers may benefit from the following current links regarding the
electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat:
Full report of the EMP Commission to the House Armed Services Committee (July
10, 2008)
This
link has a concise summary of key points from the above report:
I also recommend an
interview with the Chairman of the EMP Commission.
The interview includes the following statements that are very important:
Asked just how many Americans would die if Iran were to launch the EMP
attack it appears to be preparing, Graham gave a chilling reply: "You have
to go back into the 1800s to look at the size of population' that
could survive in a nation deprived of mechanized agriculture, transportation,
power, water, and communication.
“I’d have to say that 70 to 90 percent of the population
would not be sustainable after this kind of attack,” he
said. [Emphasis added.]
America would be reduced to a core of around 30 million people — about
the number that existed in the decades after America’s independence
from Great Britain."
270 million deaths! That puts one EMP strike on a par with a full pre-emptive
nuclear strike for the number of deaths inflicted. That's why I took
care of securing food and water before any other preparations. - ALG
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Buying Storage Food and Precious Metals on a Budget »
Letter Re: Flexibility and Adaptability
Hiya!
Just discovered your site. You have lots of useful information, but I have noticed
a few points that may have been overlooked, or that I haven't gotten to [in
the Archives] yet.
1. Off road or utility motorcycles: I feel safe to discuss this,being a former
off road racer! A 4 stroke bike is the way to go,it gets 4 to 5 times the gas
mileage. A big 2 stroke will smoke anything that can fit thru the woods but
sucks gas like a maniac. My [two stroke] race bike was lucky to get 5 mpg--a
500
cc
Husqvarna.
For
trail
use, ease of handling, and easy for a novice rider. Go to Pep Boys and get a
couple of the 100cc [four stroke] trail bikes .Cheap, easy to ride and learn,
and
great
gas mileage.
Get
a trailer, not just for the bikes, but for everything else. As a last resort
you can ditch
your
main ride, and ride the bikes.
2. Electric power: I also feel safe to discuss this topic,as my father owned
a Recreational Vehicle (RV) dealership! All of the RVs had a "three way" refrigerator,12
volt
DC,
propane, and 110 volt. They also owned a place in Mexico, way out of the town
proper, with
solar
power. Why not use those cheap little solar lights that you use along the sidewalk
for lighting?
3. All heck breaks loose, no time to run: I always' stock up on any sales at
the grocery store. Canned food,"10 for $2" or whatever, hot dogs on
the 4th of july, turkeys around Thanksgiving, whatever fits in my deep freeze.
Also,
I
always keep water bottles in the deep freeze, not only for the water, but should
the power fail, you have instant huge ice blocks to maintain it a bit longer.
Living
in Arizona, water is a more required item, than comfort. I have a small jacuzzi,
which can be used just to cool off when it hits 110 degrees here, as it does
often.
It
holds 400 gallons. I wouldn't use it for drinking or cooking, but it makes
the day a lot more comfy [since it can be used for bathing and toilet flushing]
4. Tools: As a machinist, I think I have two of every tool known to mankind!
Learn
to use them, properly. An improperly used tool won't last long.
A screwdriver is not a chisel, and a chisel is not a screwdriver. You may never
have a chance
to find another 9/16" wrench for a while, so buy quality tools, use them
right.
The same logic applies
with chainsaws, generators, and whatever. You may need to rely on them more than
you believe. As an off-road motorcycle racer, I have!
5. Think outside the box: A Marine Corp #1 rule: improvise! I
was in a [long distance off-road] race in Mexico, and got a front flat tire.
I
was pretty
much
out
of the
race,
right?
Wrong! I stuffed the front tire full of weeds grass, and twigs,
zip tied the
tire to
the rim, and rode slowly to the pit stop. I ended up placing second in the race.
The
moral
of the story? Nothing is impossible! You just haven't thought
of the solution yet!
Okay, I'm done ranting. Thanks for your site. It is very informative - Dean
« Letter Re: Advice on Finding a Retreat |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Some Practical Experience with WVO Conversions for Diesels
JWR,
Some waste vegetable oil (WVO)
information for you: My 2001 Excursion 4WD runs
on WVO, and I'm presently in the process of converting my recently acquired
1996 Ford F250.
For
my
first
conversion,
the Excursion,
I bought a conversion kit from a company and I recommend that all first timers
on straight vegetable oil (SVO)
start with a kit from a reputable company. I'm building my second conversion
kit on my own and I expect it to cost around
$800 for
all
the
conversion parts
except for the second tank for the WVO. (I picked up a L-shaped 105 gallon
transfer tank cheap off Craigslist a
year ago since I knew I'd be getting a diesel pickup and converting it sometime
in the future). Conversion kits usually cost more
but they use expensive filters only available by mail order from boat supply
houses ($33-$40 each filter). Mine is cheaper since I run filter bases and
filters from FleetFilter.com ($5-$7
each filter for an equal or finer micron rating). Fleetfilter is a NAPA auto
parts store in Texas that only sells filters
online (I'm not affiliated with them I'm only a satisfied repeat customer).
The main advantage is this: If I ever need to replenish my spare filters while
on a trip, I can go to the local NAPA store and if they don't have it in stock
they will have it in the morning. (A side note: I used to call them "NOPA",
as in; Question: "Do you have
this part in stock? Reply: "Nope uh, I'll have it in the morning." Joking
aside, they really can get the right parts the first time.)
The savings of running on WVO will completely pay for the conversion in about
four and a half months and completely pay for the entire truck, and the other
stuff I bought for it, in about 2.3 years (Payback was calculated on $4.00
per gallon diesel. Payback is faster when diesel is higher. I last filled up
at $4.22 per gallon). I picked up the truck cheap since second gear was blown
out,
also
I bought a
topper and a rolled over truck (for cheaper than a junkyard transmission) and
swapped the transmissions out so I can have complete a spare drive train as
soon as I rebuild the bad trans. After I sell my old gasoline-powered truck
I'll have very little money in the "new" one, and I already have
enough filtered and de-watered WVO to cover the cost of the conversion and
then some. If I lose my sources of WVO (local restaurants give it to me for
free)
then I can use up my WVO or probably just run on diesel and keep what I have
in long term storage to be used during in emergency to G.O.O.D. After
that I could run Waste Motor Oil or Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)
in the same second tank that the WVO ran in. Between the two tanks (the 44
gal. stock
tank is for veggie and the new tank mounted on the inside of the frame is 24
gallon) in the Excursion I can go about 1100-to-1200 miles to empty, and in
the F250 I estimate a range of about 2,500-2,700 miles to empty (two stock
diesel tanks 15 and 19 gal. and the 105 gallon transfer tank).
Preparation for long term storage of WVO - People talk about a limited shelf
life of vegetable oils while this is true for vegetable oil to be used for
cooking, I don't think this applies
when working with WVO for fuel. I believe they go bad due to microbes, similar
to the microbes present in diesel fuel. Microbes need three things to live,
water, food and air. To kill the microbes, I de-water all the oil, then filter
it again before I pump it into 55 gallon drums or 275 gallon totes, as I pump
it in I add microbiocide (available from boating supply houses) to kill the
microbes and I fill the containers to the brim to reduce the amount of air
present. Due to the microbiocide, the vegetable oil in the container can never be
fit for human consumption, but I've never reused any of the waste vegetable
oil I get from the restaurants anyway, since I don't know what chemicals they
clean their fryers with and would never consider cooking with used oil (from
a source outside my families direct supervision) as an option - not even in
a pinch. So even after all this if the WVO "goes rancid", it still
doesn't matter since we use it for fuel, not cooking. Note: The dead microbes
will leave a very thin layer of sludge at the bottom of the LTS containers
when allowed to settle for several weeks, no matter how finely the oil is filtered.
BTW, thank you for all your assistance and efforts. We bought the family pack
pallet of 150 of #10 cans from SafecastleRoyal
last year, we would not have bought it or heard about it, if you hadn't pointed
it out and told us
why now is better than later. They were very courteous, helpful and allowed
us to make a few substitutions. We are glad we joined the Safecastle Royal
program and we did tell them we found them via SurvivalBlog. We have commented
several times how grateful we are to have some food for ourselves and for charity.
God is Good. We also bought a Listeroid [engine generator] several months ago
as we saw the writing on the wall concerning Bernanke's decimation of the dollar,
and
are
grateful
we slipped in under the wire on that too. You have taught us a lot and my wife
is now very eagerly exploring the possibilities of getting some goats. I hope
to be a 10
Cent Challenge supporter soon.
Thanks and God Bless, - Rollinns (A loyal reader who has a long way to go
and has read only partially through the archives and lives somewhere in
the middle
of the country within a few hours
of I-70.)
« Three Letters Re: The Potential Perils of Bank Safe Deposit Boxes |Main| Notes from JWR: »
On Rural Retreat Safety and Secrecy, by E.I.D.
A major worry for many urbanites considering maintaining a rural retreat is their
ability to, from a distance, ensure the secrecy and security of their property.
Many of us cannot afford a full time retreat-sitter, and must use other legal
methods to ensure the security of our property and supplies in both grid-up and
grid-down scenarios.
First, county roads running to or through your property are always a liability.
I set my retreat as far back off of the gravel county road as possible by clearing
my own road, with the help of friends, through thick pine forest. My road is
wide enough for a single large vehicle, and is approximately a mile long. The
road is not straight, but rather, zig-zags like a large Z, with each leg of
the road intersecting with, and then continuing beyond, the next leg, and then
stopping
at a dead end. This design is advantageous for a few reasons: first, if someone
looks down a single leg of the road, they will see it die in a dead end some
distance ahead. The “turn off” onto the next leg is not visible
until you are almost right upon it, because of the acute angle of the turnoff.
Secondly,
these turns create many opportunities for barricades or defense concealment.
Vehicles must also make sharp turns onto each leg of the road, and thus must
slow down to a near stop, making them more vulnerable to fire at these locations.
To disguise the entrance to your road, use natural foliage. The county road near
my retreat has ditches dug on either side of it. Rather than putting a permanent
bridge or tin horn culvert, I left the ditch as it was. This provides an initial
defense, and helps disguise the entrance to casual drivers-by. Because I drive
a 4x4 vehicle, I cross this ditch by tossing large logs into the ditch, driving
over them, and then removing the logs when I leave and stashing them back in
the woods a short distance. One could also use a section of cattle-guard as
a portable bridge. Paint it camouflage and stash it back in the foliage.
To disguise the entrance further, I allowed the natural grass and weeds at
the first five feet or so of my forest road to grow as tall and thick as they
could.
I can easily drive my vehicle right over these weeds, but visually, they help
to conceal the 8 foot gap in the trees, and deter any unwanted foot-traffic.
I didn’t trim any of the tree limbs that stretched across the road (so
long as my vehicle could pass beneath them), and even used ropes to train younger
limbs to grow across the road as well. This helps to disguise the road itself
from air-traffic and satellite photos. It’s true that the limbs sometimes
fall across the road, but that just gives me an opportunity to add to my firewood
stash.
Make sure that your retreat itself doesn’t stand out too hard from the
surroundings. Paint your retreat using the colors of the surrounding area, perhaps
even in a camo scheme, and don’t forget about the roof! The roof is most
visible from the air, so take great care in painting it so that it blends.
Any outbuildings should also be disguised thusly, and some structures can merely
be covered with weather resistant camo netting. One of my past bosses lived
in
a subterranean concrete home that was visible from only one side. Three sides,
and the top of the home, appear as a natural grassy hill with small trees and
shrubs, but one side of the hill had a door and windows! This would be the
ultimate retreat home for anyone willing to invest in it, as he spent very
little on heating
and cooling the home, and never worried about tornadoes, heavy winds, or other
such destructive weather.
Remember that your clearing doesn’t need to be a pasture. My retreat
is built amongst the trees, helping to disguise it. I cut the shrubs and smaller
or dead trees out, but left the larger, aged trees behind to provide shade
and concealment. There’s plenty of room for everything I need beneath
these giants, and enough sun gets through for a variety of natural fruiting
trees,
shrubs, and wild vegetables to grow. Speaking of, make sure to plant many edibles
that naturally occur in your area and will grow without your constant attention.
My retreat features pecan trees, blackberries, wild grapes, persimmon trees,
and wild onions, and I’ll soon be adding other self-sufficient plants
to the mix.
It’s very possible that others will discover your retreat, and thus you
must take care to make sure your property is safe. Some items, such as guns,
ammunition, and other items purely stored for TEOTWAWKI can
be properly packaged and buried on site. I plan to bury such items in both
sealed ammo cans and
large rubber tubs. I also plan to build an underground brick pit, approximately
the
size of a small car, in which I can easily stash and remove large rubber tubs
full of supplies. This pit will be covered with a painted steel or aluminum
lid, and covered with a layer of soil and grass seed to disguise it. Some items,
however,
cannot be adequately hidden…such as your cabin, recreational vehicle,
or trailer. For this purpose, I once devised a cheap and simple idea to give
snoopers the
idea
that
someone
might be home. Simply hook up motion sensor lights, such as what you might
already have at home, but wire up the light inside the building, and make sure
the motion
sensors have adequate coverage of all likely areas of approach. If someone
gets too close, the lights turn on (inside your building), lighting up the
curtained/shuttered
windows and giving the appearance that someone has just turned on the lights.
This system can easily be powered with a solar 12 VDC system.
Speaking of windows, one should always use heavy shutters to cover all glass
windows on one’s
retreat. These shutters should lock from within, and the screws should not
be accessible externally. Again, if someone really wants in, they will likely
get
in, but this might be enough to deter a child looking to snoop or make some
trouble.
This setup could be utilized in other creative ways: for example, how about
a secondary motion sensor that initiates the playing of a loud recording of
a vicious
dog, snarling and growling, inside the building, or the sounds of a mountain
lion in a nearby thicket? (Thanks, Ferris Bueller.). Obviously, these “tricks” are
not a foolproof security system, but they may deter the casual local kid who
wanders upon your property – in some cases making him too fearful to
return.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Preparing for a Dam Breach, by A.B.S. »
Letter Re: Converting Gas Engine Vehicles to Propane
James;
I
haven't seen much discussion to date in SurvivalBlog on Propane-burning vehicles
as a retreat / bug out / EMP-proof
vehicle. From what I understand, Propane combusting
vehicles
are not as popular in the USA as they have been in Canada, not to say we
have a large amount of them running on streets, however, they are here and
they are available. I'm looking at a EMP proof vehicle right now which happens
to be a 1985 Chevy, 4x4, 1/2-Ton which has been converted to propane. Are their
any issues with this that you may or may not be aware of as an EMP proof convertible
vehicle?
Propane is currently cheaper [per gallon] than gasoline and as you know stores
much longer than that of Gasoline or [even] Diesel. If it
can be done, others should start looking
that way. Aside from the small amount of loss in power, the pros could far
out weigh the cons providing they can be EMP-proofed, which I don't
know anything
about when it comes to propane vehicles. Please advise. Thanks in advance.
- Dan S.
JWR Replies: Because propane might be hard to come by "on
the road", I don't recommend propane for bug-out vehicles, unless your
retreat is within range of one tank of fuel. But propane is
ideal for trucks and tractors that will not often leave your retreat property.
I
prefer converting pickups rather than SUVs,
since propane fuel tanks are relatively large. For some details, see this
blog piece that I posted in June.
A 1985 Chevy will have an electronic ignition system. But it is not too difficult
to retrofit a traditional ignition system (with rotor, points, and condenser)
at the same time that the fuel and Carburetion systems are converted to propane.
(Owners of newer vehicles should be advised that there are other microprocessors
present in critical subsystems. (Most notably solid state voltage regulators and components in the fuel and transmission systems that
should also be retrofitted to make a vehicle "EMP proof").
There are some issues involving payment of road taxes, in some states, when
converting to propane, If it were not for that,
I believe that propane conversions would be much more popular. (Consult your
state and local laws before doing a conversion.)
Propane or "GNC" (Gaz naturel comprimé) conversions
are popular in many countries. For the sake of versatility and flexibility,
I highly recommend that one of the vehicles at your retreat can be run on propane.
With today's soaring gasoline and diesel prices, you will have the added benefit
of buying fuel that is less expensive, per BTU.
(At least at the present day.)
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: The Importance of Pistol Holster Selection »
Four Letters Re: Advice on Motorcycles
Jim:
If you don't want to mess with mixing gas and oil in a 2-stroke bike engine,
try the 4-stroke engine at BikeEngines.com.
I've got one and it runs like a champ, at a couple of hundred miles per gallon!
Regards, - Hawaiian K.
Jim:
The 2-cycle
bicycle motorizing company mentioned also has a 4-cycle gasoline version.
With those, of course no fuel mixing oil required. - SF in Hawaii
Dear Jim and Family,
Dunno if you're aware, but methanol required for a mimeograph is a normal fraction
from the alcohol still process, usually the upper third of the distillate.
As its poisonous to drink, you boil it off first to remove it from your ethanol
and keep it separately. Its a good fuel and has other uses, just don't get
it on your skin as its very toxic.
On a side note, methanol is a critical part of the biodiesel chemical process,
so you really do want to save it for that purpose, for trading if nothing else.
It's probably on the same order of value as .22LR ammo or cured meat for general
trade value as a good. I'd even say its as good as currency if you've got a
good container and a silicone packet to absorb water and keep it from spoiling
the purity of the chemical.
So having an alcohol still for fuel and chemical processing is a really good
idea for any self sufficient inclinations. Hopefully, once this terrible war
in Iraq comes to a close and the majority of US troops come home Hayes Diesel
Technology (HDT) will release their civilian version of their super-small and
super-high-mileage diesel engine will become available. I'm also hoping their
bikes will sell
for around $8,000 instead of the current $19,000 for their tactical diesel
scout bike based on the Kawasaki KLR. If they do, I'll be getting one. Sustainable
transportation you don't have to pedal is a wonderful thing to have. Especially
if it will run on Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO). Imagine buying a gallon of
soybean oil at the local supermarket and running the next two weeks on that.
Downside? Your bike smells like stir fry. Upside? No funding terrorists just
to get to work. That's the pretty big upside. I hope HDT is sensible about
their engine setup and goes with SVO compatibility. Best, - InyoKern
Hey Jim:
I'm a 10
Cent Challenge subscriber with an idea: How about a place for everyone
to show their Bug out Vehicle? Might be fun and give folks some ideas as well
as show the innovation of SurvivalBlog readers. "Don't tell them what
to do, tell them what you want and they will surprise you with their ingenuity" -
American Army General.
I rode my KLR 650 (with home made saddlebags) from Tucson to Yosemite, then
San Francisco and back. That was 2,200 miles
in six days. I calculated that the bike got 58 miles per gallon. - James C.
JWR Replies: Since a fair portion of my readership with mobile
devices insists
on
a "text
only" blog, I don't post photos. But I'd gladly accept descriptions of
your "G.O.O.D."
vehicles.
Just e-mail them to me. (And feel free to
include links to photos that are posted
off-site.) Consider this survey now open for entries!
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Pre-Assembling Charity Food Packets for Storage »
A Reader's Observations on Preparedness for Hurricane Dolly
Mr. Rawles,
As you may remember from our profile we recently moved to new residence in
luxury community in South Texas because of a job loss in the Pacific Northwest.
Last week my wife and I learned of the tropical wave that ultimately created
this
storm, immediately we stocked up on gas and purchased some cheap extra batteries.
(The pantry is still full). We also threw some clothes together and pre-positioned
those in the car. We withdrew some extra money and got ready to board up (Our
G.O.O.D. bags
were already prepped and a once over was sufficient to add to and update
them).
I mention this because all the Government officials, locals and people who
have lived here for quite a while were doing nothing until the 21st. (Per
the evening news reporting of this.)
This storm developed rather quickly enough to catch all the local government
off guard and they quickly put together some meetings, et cetera.
Afterwards they were basically notifying the public that the storm had developed
too quickly for a mandatory evacuation of the scope required and you're on
your own (YOYO--something
I’m sure all your readers already know). In
their defense it looks like at the time of this writing that the storm will
hit much
lower than this area maybe even Mexico. That said, I had a flashback to video
from Hurricane Katrina and those school busses sitting there empty. We also
watched the evening newscast at 10 PM Monday night that was live at
the big grocery chain and there were people interviewed that 'thought it was
a good idea to stop and get some extra food and batteries'. On another newscast
one vacationer to the coastal area of South Texas from San Antonio (also considered
South Texas) exclaimed 'this is exciting”.
There are no absolutes when
it comes to the path prediction of hurricanes and this couple of examples are
pretty much the norm around my community. This has convinced me that we were
wrong in coming here and I am resolute that we will get back to the Pacific
Northwest at all costs to get back to a culture of preparedness and self sufficiency.
IMHO, if and when TEOTWAWKI hits
only the prepared few here in South Texas will survive and those that do will
most probably be swallowed up by those
that stopped by the grocer for some extra batteries or the Golden
Horde from
Mexico (the Alamo comes to mind) and I pray for the sake of my neighbors and
friends that I’m wrong.
Keep up the work. And again our prayers are with Memsahib, - Mr. Foxtrot
P.S. I've decided that I sure get my money's worth on your site which is up
until today I hadn't supported (except for purchasing your books and making
purchases from your advertisers),
but I'm sending snail mail cash for the 10
Cent Challenge
« Letter Re: The SurvivalBlog Ten Cent Challenge |Main| Letter Re: Disseminating Local News and Information in a Grid-Down Societal Collapse »
Three Letters Re: Advice on Motorcycles
James:
I just wanted to forward some info re: motorcycle purchase and operation.
I’ve
been riding since ’85, have owned four motorcycles (two Suzuki and
two Harley Davidson), and keep up with current trends/technology of motorcycles.
Here
are some fast facts to consider prior to buying:
1. The highest statistic for motorcycle fatalities is individuals operating
borrowed motorcycles. Do yourself a favor and be familiar with the bike you
ride. Completing
a motorcycle training course could be a lifesaver.
2. Both my large displacement Harley Davidson get approximately. 45 MPG each.
One operates on premium [gasoline]. The other is carbureted and uses 87 [octane
regular] grade. If fuel savings is the
most significant factor, you can do a lot better than a large Harley. However,
45 MPG isn’t bad. Furthermore, consider the types of errands you can
(or are willing) to do with a bike. For example, I can get four bags of groceries
inside of my Harley hard bags.
3. Having a larger / heavier bike will not get blown over a lane when riding
alongside large trucks. The key here is to pick your route carefully if you
are traveling on a route that has lots of traffic and you are on a smaller
bike. If the author of that letter knows he has to get onto a busy highway
for ‘x’ miles, ask yourself how soon you will get tired of operating
a light 400 pound bike on such roads.
4. My personal opinion is to buy a used motorcycle. You will save a bundle.
Just look in the ads and you will find dozens of bikes of all sorts with only
5k
on the
odometer. Why? I guess people like the idea of riding but the bike just sits
in the garage.
5. If your budget is tight, factor in your safety gear (helmet, cool/cold weather
jacket, gloves warm and cold weather, chaps, goggles/glasses, tank bag), it
adds up. The difference between getting up and driving home versus
going the hospital some times comes down to your gear.
6. A personal observation of motorcyclists’ is that the more you ride,
the more you wish you had some sort of windshield or fairing in front of your
face.
7. If you are considering an Enduro (on/off road legal) consider a KTM, especially
the Adventure model, if you can afford it.
8. There is an old saying amongst bikers, ‘there are those who have been
down and those who are going down’. Obviously, the point is that biking
is dangerous and you can’t be too careful. See #5 again if it went in
one ear, and out the other.- Flhspete
Sir,
Posted on your web site, 22 July 2008, a reader was asking about motorcycles.
I have recently purchased a 250cc Enduro (street legal dirt bike) from a company
in Oklahoma City. This is an air-cooled, wet clutch, 4 stroke, 5-speed motorbike.
The down side is that the bike is made in China. They call it the Hi-Bird.
They
are very
similar to the old Honda XL series. Full purchase price was just $1,200 and
shipping was free. The bike required some set up at delivery such as installing
the
bolt that holds the rear monoshock to the lower A-arm, putting on the front
wheel and the handle bars and some the trim and the fenders. Pretty simple
work if you can read around the errors in the Instruction/Assembly manual.
The bike is electric start but still has a kick starter. It is not a speed
demon, probably wouldn't survive too many back flips but all-in-all it is
of good quality. I don't ride it too fast, hardly ever over 55 MPH but
I do ride trails in the hills and it is light and stable with good low RPM torque.
My worst complaint is that there is a lot of vibration (buzz) at speeds of
60
and over. So far the economy has out paced my expectations averaging between
73 and 81 MPG depending on speed and usage. You know I thought long and hard
before buying a bike made in China, but how many of us absolutely hated SKS rifles
before we tried one for fun? If you should choose to share this with your
readers they can get more info at chinariders.net.
Thank
you for your time and best wishes to you and yours. - Walt in Idaho
Hi Jim,
About motorcycles. We believe the Honda Trail 90 is a practical choice and
will acquire our sixth one in a trade for a spare utility trailer. There are
frequent new listings on Craig's
List in the $800 to $1,500 range in our
area. The Trail
90 is rugged, reliable, easily repaired and gets about 80 to 100 MPG. Cruising
speed is about 45 MPH. These are often low mileage, but one should expect that
some work would be required. Usually little goes wrong. A battery and a carburetor
rebuild kit are often all that's needed to bring them back to life. Other spare
parts are inexpensive and plentiful. Replacing the decades old tires is a good
idea. Choose one that runs and has the hi/low sub-transmission. These bikes
comfortably pull a lightweight trailer and several hundred pounds and do well
in the woods. Much like the hi/low range of a 4WD,
the low range feature is a big advantage. The hefty and large rack on the back
allows a large box to
be mounted. A [hard plastic] milk crate is ideal. The spare one gallon can
latched to side gives one an extra 90 miles of range.
The low cost of ownership means one can justify storing it [just] for fair
weather use. It's overall design seem ideal for the survivalist. There is a
reason
the Trail 90 remains popular today. These are tough and useful bikes.
BTW, recently ordered your novel "Patriots" and can't wait for it's arrival. -
E.L.
JWR Replies: There is certainly no "one size fits all" solution
when buying a motorcycle. An Enduro type design (trail/street capable) is a
compromise, but they are probably best for those of us that can only afford
to buy just one motorcycle. There are some that argue that bigger
is safer (on pavement), while
others
assert
that
dropping
a big
bike
is sure
trip
to
the
hospital. But regardless of what you decide on, be sure to get plenty of training,
and of course wear a helmet and all the safety gear. (If anything, err on the
side of caution!)
On a related note, SF in Hawaii, mentioned
two-cycle motorizing kits for bicycles. They get phenomenal mileage, but
you will need to carry mixed gasoline. (Just like with a typical chainsaw engine.)
And
for nearly silent operation, reader Paul D. mentioned a
maker of electric motorcycles. These use the new lithium ion battery
technology. They have a range of 40 miles with a 2 KWH battery
pack.
« Letter Re: Advice on Photovoltaic Power Systems |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Advice on Motorcycles
Good Morning:
What's your opinion about motorcycles for personal transportation in the tough
times ahead? Obviously much better on gas but I wonder if I would be more
vulnerable to public disturbances? I live in a very rural area but have to
commute into the city for my job. Would you spend the money to get one or
would that money be better spent on eliminating debt? Than
