[Editor's Note: A short draft edition of this article was previously posted in a discussion forum].

I am a very new prepper, but feel that I am making some decent advances in my prepping goals. Although my preps may be much smaller then most, I still think I am doing better then most of the general population, and have budgeted for weekly and monthly improvements to my preps.

While reading this and other survival based blogs and forums (not so much here, but other places get real out of hand), I've noticed that the conversation or topic tends to lean towards guns, ammo, tactical gear etc. Now granted, these are important topics, but there are other equally important topics. I personally have what I consider to be a good stock of firearms, ammo and parts, but my opinion is, they are just tools. My weapons are a tool to protect and feed my family. I would like to discuss another survival tool, a garden tractor.

When I say garden tractor, most people may be thinking of the 4-wheel drive Kubota/John Deere/Cub Cadet with a diesel, 3 point hitch and bucket loader that you see new at your county fair for approximately $15,000 new. Those machines are actually more referred to as compact utility tractors, and not garden tractors. If you have the means to make that type of purchase, then I say go for it. I'm your average blue collar middle class guy with a wife and two young sons (4 and 6), to say that $15,000 is out of my price range is the understatement of the year! Also, keep in mind that the new tractors on the market, even down to that size, can be as high tech as new automobiles with their computer modules and electronics. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be able to repair a power-train control module in my yard today, let alone during a TEOTWAWKI situation.

I'll start with, I am partial to John Deere, but you can choose your flavor if you decide to look into do this as well. The key item to look for, no matter who the manufacturer, is that it have some type of hydraulics. It can be a hydrostatic transmission, or a hydraulic lift for the mower deck. You can add a hydraulic system to any garden tractor (anything with an engine to run the pump actually), but that is well outside of my knowledge and the scope of this information. If you do add a hydro system to your machine, from there you can work along with the following. The key is that it be equipped with a hydraulic pump, once you have that, let the modifications begin.

This all started when I needed a new lawn mower, and there was no way I was going to the big box stores and spending $3,000 on a pile of plastic that wouldn't last. I knew I wanted a machine to mow the lawn, plow/disc/cultivate a garden, grade the driveway and run a snow blower or snow blade in bad weather. I started my search and landed on a 1976 John Deere Model 312. Some people look at this as a collectible tractor since they wee only built for two years, so if you're a John Deere purist, you may want to stop reading here. As I appreciate what the machine is, again, in my opinion it is a tool to perform a job.

The 312 was offered as an entry level tractor for a couple years, but I found that tractors, like cars, are easily up-gradable when pulling parts from a similar series/model. In it's stock form, it has a single circuit hydraulic system that raises the deck, a 12HP Kohler that is virtually bullet proof and still uses points and condenser no electronic ignition, has a hydrostatic transmission and weighs just shy of 1,000 lbs without any attachments or driver. When you go to the big box stores, you see them advertise 20 hp and up engines, but I think they are using the “new” math. This is 12HP but somewhere in the range of 27 ft lbs of torque. This is a stout machine!

From there, it's time to start working. For your rear ground engaging attachments, there is no need for a 3 point hitch on this size tractor. Almost every garden tractor manufacturer has offered a sleeve hitch as an option, or you can built your own. In it's simplest form, it's boxed tubing that is hinged onto the back of your tractor that can be raised or lowered manually or with some mechanical power. Mine is hydraulic, but I have seen electric actuators, electric winches or just handle levers. Here is a link to a piece at Weekend Freedom Machines--a great resource for John Deere owners)- to their PDF blueprints to build your own sleeve hitch for a majority of the older John Deere machines like the one I own.

The attachments you purchase or make have C channel that fits over the box tubing and pinned in place to give a "positive lock" to the tractor, instead of just a pin through a hole that can pivot. Now you can work your implements into the ground.

With mine, I run a 1 bottom moldboard plow, 2 gangs of 10" discs, a cultivator and a small box scraper. If you are unfamiliar with the use of these attachments, the moldboard plow is used to break ground or turn already broken ground. Setting up the plow properly does take some trial and error. If set too deep, it will stop any tractor in it's tracks. Set to shallow and it will want to keep jumping out of the ground. When set up properly, the plow will “curl” the row of soil over onto the previous passes furrow, down between 8-10 inches. The disc harrow is then used to chop the clumps, sod, organic material into a finer, more consistent and workable. One quick tip, when making your garden hills, you don't need a "hiller". After you're done discing the soil, raise up your disc harrow, spine the gangs around backwards and angle at about a 20 degree angle. 2-3 passes in the same direction will result in a 8-to-12 inch hill, depending on your soil. The cultivator is of course for weed duties. I would advise that when you purchase, or build your cultivator, you make it adjustable, so you are able to move the tines so they will straddle your your crops while they are small, then can move back together to keep down the weeds in the paths between your rows. Yes, you did read that correctly, even with this size machine, you can do work straddling your crops while they are young. With my machine, there is 10” of ground clearance, that amount will vary by model. Lastly, the box scraper is normally used by landscapers, I used it mainly to grade out my driveway.. In the garden, I like to use it to move around my compost. At the start of the season, my compost pile will be a 4-6 feet tall mound, right next to my garden site. Instead of spreading by shovel, I will back up to the pile and bite into it with the scraper and drag it out around the garden.

Last year's garden was just about 1/3 acre, will have to see what next year brings. It seems to get larger every year. I have measured out my property, and by using some simple grid paper, I found that I can plant up to just under a 1 acre garden in a survival situation. I do know people that tend 2 acres with this same set up. That size is very time consuming, but way far more efficient then tending that size garden by hand.

As far as implements for the rear, your imagination is your only limit. If you can weld it or bolt it to a piece of c channel, you can shove it in the ground and drag it along. One of my friends was concerned about loosening up the soil deeper them his plow was going. He bought a single 24" tooth from a piece of heavy machinery for $20 and tacked on the C channel bracket. When engaged in the ground, it is 18" under ground ripping the soil up. I have made a very simple type of lift for mine. I have a 6 foot long piece of box steel, that I notched and drilled on one end to properly attach to my sleeve hitch. The other end I drilled and bolted a couple link long section of chain with a hook on it. When attached to the hitch, using the hydraulics to lift the sleeve hitch, I can now lift heavy items with a chain, instead of potentially injuring myself trying to lift something way too heavy. Think of this along the lines of an engine hoist in a mechanics shop (actually where I got the idea from).

Now for the front hydraulics. Since you already have a hydraulic pump, it is easy to run a single circuit to the front. On the hydraulic control valve, where the ports are that go to the existing cylinder (deck raise etc), use 2 T fittings, and run 2 lines to the front, with couplers for attachments. On mine, I decided to go with a second circuit to the front, which was a very simple task. I purchased a 2 circuit valve from a higher model 300 series tractor at a salvage yard for $40, and ran a second set of lines. Now I have the ability to not only raise and lower my plow out front, but also angle side to side. This also gives the option of installing a front bucket loader. Yes, they have bucket loaders for this size machine. I have used them before for garden tractors, but I haven't purchased on yet for mine.

For the most part, the standard front attachments aren't really survival tools (unless the zombies are slow enough to chase them down with my snow blower), so some may ask, why go through the upgrades for the front hydraulics? First, I'm a guy, like playing with plows and snow blowers and tinkering with stuff. Second, and more to the point, think outside the box a little.. I now have 2 hydraulic circuits independent of each other, that can power almost anything. Keep in mind, most people in America will throw out an item that doesn't work absolutely perfect and just "go buy another". I got a log splitter from someone at work that he seized the motor on. There's this stuff called oil that you are supposed to check periodically to see if it's still there. Anyhow, I pulled the motor and control valve off, leaving behind the ram, wedge and stop. I took the fittings out of the ram and the info for the couplers to my new hydraulics to my local NAPA. Asked for 2 hoses, 6 feet long with those ends, 10 minutes later I was out of there. Now, my tractor hydraulics operate my log splitter. Instead of 2 engines and 2 control valves to maintain and have parts for, there is only 1. I find that much easier to plan for.

At a yard sale, I found a generator for sale that wouldn't run. Bought it for $30. Never took the time to find out why it wouldn't run, just separated the generator from the engine, make a quick little mounting plate for the front of the tractor, added a pulley to the generator and lined up with pulley on front of engine. Now an easily portable generator and again, only one engine to worry about. I am currently looking for a larger generator through.

Which brings be to the issue of noise pollution. If left in it's stock form, this is far from quiet, and you would let the whole neighborhood know what's going on in a grid down situation. For my machine, and most garden tractors of this era, they have a cylindrical type muffler. With some tinkering, here is what I've found and the results. You can open the muffler by cutting at the seam and removing one end of the muffler, like opening a can of soup. Once inside, gut it. Mine had some of the matting in place still, but I would say, whatever you find in there, gut it. Now get a roll of high temp fiberglass matting. I used the material that is used for making gaskets in propane fireplaces. Line the cylindrical walls with the matting, I went three layers thick, then cover with a thin steel mesh to keep in place. Tack weld the mesh in a couple of spots just to hold it in place, then reinstall the end that you cut off and weld back in place. It is hard to describe the sound difference in the written word. I'm not going to say that this is as quiet as an electric car or anything like that. But, it is rather amazing how quiet it is. I can be sitting on the tractor with the engine at full throttle and talk on my cell phone. I can hear the person on the phone no problem, and the person I am talking to can barely hear the tractor!

Some other odds and ends to help in multitasking. I have installed 4 off road type flood lights, 2 in the front and 2 in the rear. I can work the ground or whatever else I need to do at night, or light up an area for other types of work.. If you plan to do this, I would suggest doing as I did. Find out what types of light bulbs your automobiles use, then find off road lights for your tractor that use those same bulbs. Remember, your vehicles may be lawn ornaments in a TEOTWAWKI situation, might as well use a couple of their spare parts.

Security, yes, I said security. On most garden tractors, the sheet metal that surrounds the dash board is merely for looks, and serve no structural purpose, so have some fun with it. In the panel directly under the steering wheel, facing the operators seat, I cut a hole and on the back side mounted a 10"x8"x8" metal box that I picked up at a yard sale. That's where my pistol rides (Bernardelli P018). The right side of the machine is where the brake pedal is, so the left side is clear. On the left side of machine, I made a box out of sheet metal on an angle with padding inside, which is bolted to the tractor's sheet metal. That's where my Mossberg Model 500 shotgun rides.

Now for the best part, prices:

1977 John Deere 312 with mower deck - $600
Sleeve Hitch OE John Deere - $80
Moldboard Plow - Free - Look around, lots of people have them and they are just rusting outside
Cultivator - $100
Disc Harrow - $150
Box Scrapper - $125 - Nice for grading driveway, and spreading large amounts of compost in garden.
Used parts for hydraulic conversion - $125
Snow Blower - $250 - This was a right time right place price.
Rear Ag Tires - $175 - you can use turf tires with chains in dirt and snow, but face it, ag tires just look cool! If getting new tires, I found the cheapest ballast was to fill tires with windshield wash fluid. Won't freeze added 48 lbs per tire and I believe it to be the least toxic affordable option if it were to leak into the garden.

I am sure I am forgetting a few items, but as you can see, this is a very versatile tool and simplifies how many power sources you need to maintain and store parts for. Even with whatever it is I am forgetting, I know I have less then $2500, over the course of a couple of years, in the whole set up....and it mows my lawn too!

I am not trying to offend anyone or represent myself as an expert. I know there are many preppers on this forum that will see none of what I am writing here as new. However, some people may need this information or have not thought of it. As for me a lot of this was learned over 13 years in the active Army and seven years as a policeman. I was placed working and living in some of the most inhospitable weather situations someone could find themselves in. Enough of my ranting and I will get to the point.

As I was finishing my final preparing for winter and watching the news about the storm hitting the plains states I realized that I should call my family to make sure they were ready for bad weather. This caused me to get a migraine real quick. Then I thought that I should put this all in writing so I could send it to them every winter and make my life easier. With that I figured why not share this information to everyone who reads this forum.

The first thing you should consider is weatherproofing your winter gear and camping gear just in case you actually need it. For my Goretex jackets (Yes even Goretex gets soaked thru eventually) and my canvas work jackets I waterproof them using Camp Dry (you can use any commercial waterproofing spray but I prefer this one). I recommend doing this outside if possible due to the fumes or in a well-ventilated area. It can also contaminate the area where you are working, due to silicone overspray. Also test the fabric of what you are about to weatherproof to make sure it doesn’t stain or ruin it. If you decided to use this product or others inside put something on the floor under the work area to protect it from staining.

For Bivvy Sacks for sleeping bags also use a product like Camp Dry to keep your sleeping bag dry. Also use a seam sealing product to make sure the seams are extra protected. You don’t want water just pouring in at the material seem and causing you to get soaked. Now I know they say the seams are already sealed, but do you trust them with your warmth and safety?

Now on to the topic of weatherproofing your boots. If they are leather boots use a product like Snow Seal and liberally coat the boots and then put them in the oven at 180 degrees for 1 hour (yes I said oven, by doing this you open the pores of the leather and allow it to absorb the Snow Seal. If your boots are made of something other than leather, then use Camp Dry, of course test the boots first to make sure it doesn’t ruin them. Wet feet can make you miserable real quick along with being a deciding factor in if you survive or not. Now to socks, cotton socks are evil! They will cause you to lose toes or worse. The reason for this is cotton doesn’t wick moisture away from the skin very well, but it is great at wicking away the heat from your feet causing your feet to stay cold and end up freezing. So get wool socks or advanced fabric socks as they are the best choice. They wick moisture away from the skin and will still keep your feet warm even when wet.  Always remember warm feet are happy feet and will help you survive.

Now your vehicle as you will most likely depend on this greatly in bad weather. Make sure your headlights are working properly and are bright after a few years they start to get dim and should be replaced. Also if you have the type of headlights that have a clear plastic cover you will probably notice that they are milky white. You need to fix this with a commercially available headlight polishing kit and follow the directions. I found one at a local auto parts store for fewer than thirty dollars. It made my headlights like new.

Windshield wipers should be in good working order and of a good quality that won’t clog with ice and stop working properly. If they are bad replace them before you need them. Not seeing and driving are not a good combination, with that also make sure that you have a winter grade windshield wash as if it freezes up then it won’t help you.
Next is your battery and alternator, the two things that almost always fail when bad weather hits. Go to an auto parts store and have them put the tester on them to make sure they are okay. This will go a long way in easing worries about your vehicle not starting when you need it most.

As for vehicle maintenance not only does your oil need to be changed regularly but so does your antifreeze, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, differential and transfer case oil if you have them. With these an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Now to your emergency kit for the car, in this should be a minimum of jumper cables (not everyone has them, but every care has a battery so if you have them you can get a jump), a set of work gloves (for changing tires and such) a knit cap or some other winter headgear, warm gloves, blanket’s, a few common tools (to tighten battery cables and such), emergency markers (I prefer flares and strobe lights over reflectors, as reflectors require headlights to hit them to be seen). Also having a days’ worth of food and water in the vehicle is nice in case you get stranded in your car. You can get emergency food rations and water from most survival or prepping web sites.  Having sand for traction and a compact shovel to dig out is a must also. You can also make traction ramps buy cutting heavy grate material about the width of 1 ½ the size of your tires and 3 feet long. Using this can also help you or someone else get unstuck in snow. Tire chains or snow tires are a must and if your tread is getting to the point of being only ¼ an inch deep get new tires. I know this seems a lot for your vehicle but when the worst case scenario that you never thought would happen to you does happen you will be better off for it. I know there is more for this topic but this is a good start. I also add my bug-out kit to my vehicle every time I get in it to drive. Also my bug-out kit and vehicle kit are one and the same. It makes it larger and heavier, but then I am never in the situation of saying why did I leave that at home

Now for the house besides back-up heating, food, water, lighting and the normal prepping stuff for bugging in there are a few items to consider. On backup heating you have to be careful due to carbon monoxide poisoning. I use the Mr. Heater MH18B Portable “Big Buddy” Heater by Mr. Heater as it has an automatic low oxygen shutoff system and tip-over safety shutoff.  If you don’t have something that senses when the oxygen is low or is made for indoor use then you need to have someone stay up preferably in shifts to watch the heater along with making sure there is enough ventilation in the room so there is not a build-up of Carbon Monoxide. This also goes for daytime heating and also for cooking. For lighting using low sulfur mineral instead of lamp oil in your oil lamps as it is cleaner and safer. Also it will keep you from having to repaint your house when everything is back to normal. This also goes for candles they will stain the pain in a house along with being a fire hazard. This is since we don’t run around using candles every day we will make mistakes that can and will be tragic. On that note with heating, cooking, and lighting you should have a couple a house-sized ABC fire extinguishers for emergencies.

You need one or two heavy tarps, parachute cord, and small sandbags so that you can put a temporary patch on your roof should a tree fall due to ice and snow and uses your house as a target. For windows having 2 inch wood screws, sheet plastic, and a couple of sheets of plywood to close up a broken window or door is a lifesaver. Also if you can precut the plywood for the windows it makes the repair a lot quicker.

A note on shoving snow, shoveling snow is considered heavy strenuous labor. It is also one of the leading causes of heart attacks in winter. So like any heavy workout take 15 minutes to warm up so your body realizes you are about to do something difficult. While working on removing the snow take many breaks. I normally only shovel snow for 15 minutes at a time then take a break so my heart rate can go back down. Also it may be cold but stay hydrated.

I hope everyone has a great winter, and hope that at least some of this information is helpful.

I've been struggling with an age-old problem trying to find a safe way to carry gasoline in my vehicle. I found a way I would like to pass along. Typical five gallon plastic or metal cans don't cut it. I'm a former EMT, so I've seen what a collision does to a vehicle carrying a five gallon can in the trunk, and it's not pretty.

I want a metal shell around a plastic bladder filed with aviation foam.  Paranoid?  Yes.  Possible? Absolutely! It turns out you can get fairly low cost racing fuel cells from several sources that meet the bill - and two of them will fit in the trunk of my Prius or back of my Jeep. See this at Amazon: RJS Racing 32 Gallon Fuel Cell. These sell for $269 including shipping. You can get the same fuel tank without the metal shield but with aviation foam for about $150.

In my Prius, that gives me an un-refueled range of 3,330 miles, allowing a coast to coast run with gas to spare or dash and back x2 from Northern California to Northern Idaho.

Which gives me more options than the average bear. - Michael M.

JWR:
Regarding the recent link in in SurvivalBlog to the articles on Converting a 1973-1991 Suburban to Cummins diesel engine, I have experience with the B and ISB series Cummins engines in several applications and believe they are fine powerplants. However, this swap IS an electronic engine and transmission, as described. And it is not necessarily something easily fixable in the kind of situation you envision.

I would suggest that a mechanical engine (which does include the earlier 12-valve B Cummins sixes and its four cylinder sibling the 4BT) and a manual transmission might be more suitable.

Several possibilities exist for this size of vehicle. I am sort of partial to the old Series 53 Detroit Diesel, all mechanical, simple unit injectors, nearly idiot proof. That's why these two cycle Detroits went into so many LTL day cab trucks: union drivers couldn't wreck them.

If you don't really need this big a vehicle, I would look at some of the smaller Japanese and German (Mercedes) engines with Bosch style injection pumps. These engines are in many, many small industrial machines, gensets, etc. so parts are available. They are not high horsepower but they are all mechanical and generally very robust. isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan all have some great choices. With Mercedes you are looking at the OM 616 and 617. They are lower horsepower, very reliable units. There are some all mechanical VM Cento engines out there as well. Parts support isn't quite as extensive but is available and they are quite robust, especially the six cylinder inline that went into FedEx and Airborne package delivery trucks for years. This engine is also widely used in marine sport boating applications and was installed in Jaguar cars in Germany by a tuner company with good results. - Roger R.

James,
After reading the recent article about Driving, Post-TEOTWAWKI: I believe there is some sound G.O.O.D. advice. However, assuming unhindered travels will allow rolling stores of survival gear to pass through any measurable distance unchallenged, is a dangerous assumption. The writer cites experience traveling in a military convoy with hardened, well armed vehicles. But for realistic, civilian style convoys, the dangers are multiplied by lack of experienced scout personnel and soft equipment. If one has sustained an extended bug in and has a supportive neighborhood, that may still remain the best option if bug out was not initiated within the first 24-48 hours. However, in the event of a national emergency, the thirst of our government to sustain control, likely will make a small civilian convoy a prize valued by government agents as much as by any band of rogues. When plotting the road traveled I would advise taking note of the locations of every National Guard Armory and bypassing those locations as far as possible. Roadblocks initiated by trained Guardsmen, with combat experience in hostile acquisition and checkpoints will also put the hurt on your evacuation plans. You and your family will be acquired and supplies confiscated. Best practice is still pre-positioning of supplies allowing for light, quick, and hopefully low-profile travel should that become your decision to do a deferred bug out. For Liberty, - P.T.

JWR,
I have deployed twice to Afghanistan. [Details deleted, for OPSEC.] I am sure that you realize this and I hope you will share this with your readers. Waiting months after TEOTWAWKI to drive to your retreat is more than foolish, it is suicidal. Anyone driving post-event without an armored vehicle (or with one, just look at the ambush scenes from "Patriots") will take casualties. Every day in Afghanistan uneducated people with limited training successfully ambush and kill highly trained military personnel driving heavily armed and armored vehicles. Now imagine an ambush that has had months to be perfected, probably through trial and error, where the ambushers are equally equipped [as you]. if not better equipped. Under these circumstances the convoy would simply have no chance. Very Best Regards, - Mike A.

Good Day, Mister Rawles,
Thank you as always for the good work you do. Regarding a late convoy out of Dodge I have this to add. I can only imagine that if you have to stop for a tyre change then you will become powerful goblin magnet. Needless to say it will not be a good time to be breaking rusty wheel bolts free with an old tyre iron. Thusly it's imperative that your wheels have been previously removed and meticulously reinstalled prior to your leaving. Your spares (yes, plural per vehicle) should be mounted to the outside of your vehicles. On a roof rack or tailgate would be the traditional approach.
The previously mentioned  maintenance vehicle running second to last in the pack will want to be equipped with a professional grade jack capable of lifting both the highest and lowest cars in your convoy, and a well charged cordless impact driver with spare batteries and labeled sockets for each vehicle is imperative.
You want to to be thinking NASCAR pit crew, not roadside assist. Any observers will have less time to organise and will also determine that you're going to be a tougher nut to crack than the usual TEOTWAWKI tourists.

Of course it's also essential to have iron clad rules in place to determine when a vehicle must be abandoned and its occupants/cargo redistributed. I say "iron clad" because your buddy may balk at leaving their BMW X5 in the 'burbs when its automatic transmission packs it in.

"But I still have first gear. We can just go slower, right?" As I said, Iron clad rules.
Kind Regards, - The Apple Islander

The TEOTWAWKI has occurred and you have made the decision to G.O.O.D. and head to your retreat location.  The electricity is out, but your vehicles still work.  You've stayed in your house for the last few months, kept a low profile, and have been able to avoid the initial chaos and Golden Horde of people leaving the cities.  Ideally, your suburban neighbors and relatives are somewhat prepared and you have banded together for protection and mutual sharing of resources.  Your retreat location is big enough for your family plus three other families.  How do you safely drive everyone to the retreat location?  As a convoy commander in Baghdad, Iraq, I had the opportunity to lead 50+ convoys in and around Baghdad during one of the most violent periods of the war.  We had great TTPs that allowed us to successfully accomplish our mission and move through the city.  I understand that there are many TTPs out there for various situations and not all are the same.  I am going to focus on the very basics so that a non-military minded individual can understand and implement these suggestions.  There are several specific/complex scenarios that have already been covered in older posts, and I will not cover them here.  For this scenario, I am going to assume there are eight vehicles (two per family) of various makes and models that are capable of driving to the retreat location.  Whether there are 3, 6, or 10 vehicles in your group, these basics can work, but obviously there is strength in numbers. 

First, it is important to understand the current situation in the area between your home and your retreat.  Attempt to get as much information as possible regarding weather, road conditions, routes, and how much criminal activity is on the roads.  If you have lived in the area for longer than a year, the only unknown will be whether parts of your route are still open and the level of criminal activity.  If you have the extra fuel, take two vehicles and try to recon part of the route.  The more you know before you leave your home, the better.  Because you waited for a few months before deciding to leave, more than likely there will not be a lot of vehicle traffic on the roads because no one will have gas anymore and the roads will be too dangerous.  You should already have planned and driven the route to your retreat location multiple times prior to the SHTF.  Take out a map, sit down with your fellow families and thoroughly go over the route.  Identify potential choke points (areas that force your vehicle to go through a tight spot, with no alternatives, that are great ambush spots).  Identify what type of roads you will be traveling on.  Are they 4-lane or 2-lane?  Are they back-country roads or interstate?  How many overpasses are there and do we go under them or get off the freeway and go over them?  What about road blocks?  Do you have alternate routes planned?  What intersections are in our route?   All of these questions need to be discussed, and analyzed using a road map before you leave. Remember, this is a one shot deal; you will not be returning to your home, so make it count! 

The next step is organization.  What order are the vehicles going to be in when you travel?  I realize that there are multiple variations of vehicles in a neighborhood, but this can still be done even if you have eight 4-door sedans.  Your lead vehicle should be one that is relatively fast, and should be higher off the ground, such as an SUV or pickup truck.  The higher seats give the driver and passenger more visibility when on the road.  This vehicle should be armed with at least a rifle that has some reach.  I am not going to discuss shooting from a moving vehicle.  What is important is that you are able to reach a target while stopped a few hundred yards away.  Your slower moving vehicles such as minivans should be in the middle of the group.  If you have multiple SUV/ pickup trucks, spread them out between the slow vehicles as these will be your primary firing/maneuvering platforms.  Your second to last vehicle should be where you keep all of your vehicle maintenance supplies.  If one of your vehicles has a maintenance issue, you do not want to make the maintenance repair vehicle turn around to help.  Your last vehicle should be your rear security vehicle.  Its entire job is to make sure no one attacks the vehicles from behind.  It should be armed and able to quickly maneuver. 

Now that your vehicles are organized, where do you put all of your stuff?  We have already discussed where maintenance items should be placed.  The main bulk of your medical items should be in a vehicle towards the back of the convoy for the same reasons as the maintenance items.  It is a good idea to keep some medical items in every vehicle; however, the "reinforcement" items should be in the rear.  High powered weapons and optics should be placed in the front and rear vehicles.  Generic items such as water, food, solar equipment, personal items, etc. should be placed in the middle vehicles.  If possible, put high value items in vehicles that have tinted windows to minimize visibility.  Keep some "barter/bribe" items in the front vehicle.  If you are forced to go through an area held by looters, you might be able to pay them off to get through.  For personnel organization, keep the kids in the middle, non-fire/maneuver vehicles.  For those who can shoot, keep them in the fire/maneuver vehicles.  When planning where everyone will sit, if possible, try to keep enough seats empty so that if one vehicle gets disabled, those personnel can get in another vehicle with minimal delay.

Once you have determined your route, organized your vehicles, personnel, and equipment, it is time to rehearse.  Actually taking your vehicles and driving around will be next to impossible, so plan on the next best alternative.  Get a whiteboard/chalkboard or even just a piece of paper, and draw out your vehicles in order.  Make sure you discuss the following: 

- Go over the route and make sure everyone knows what actions will be taken at choke points, intersections, and "danger" areas. 
- Identify who is responsible for different tasks to include a primary and alternate.  For instance, if you have someone who is mechanically proficient, make sure they are driving/riding in the vehicle with the maintenance equipment, and designate an alternate mechanic in another vehicle.  The same applies to the medical vehicle. 
- Who is the overall leader?  If that leader becomes incapacitated, who is in charge?     
- What is your communications plan?  If you are traveling through an intersection, how does the lead vehicle know when the last vehicle has passed through it?  What needs to be identified over the radio and what is not important? 
- Establish check points along your route that can be referenced over the radio as a rally point, re-grouping point, rest point, etc. 
- Determine the distance between each vehicle as you drive.  There needs to be enough space between each vehicle so that there is enough time to stop quickly, maneuver quickly, and avoid having multiple vehicles disabled at once.  The lead vehicle should be several vehicle lengths ahead of the second vehicle so that it can warn the rest of the group and be the only casualty should there be a disabling explosion/trap to take out the lead vehicles. 
- What speed are you going to drive?  Are you going to go as fast as you can for the entire trip, or slow down at different areas?  
- Review different situations and scenarios that could happen during your drive.  Cover medical emergencies, mechanical issues, disabled vehicles, ambush reactions, fire and maneuver actions, loss of communications, and actions to take if the vehicles get split apart.  For example, let's say a tire blows on one of the "slow" vehicles.  You have a spare, but it will take some time to replace the tire.  What do you do?  Do you get off the road you are traveling on and find somewhere to remain out of site?  Do you stop on the side of the road and swap out the tire?  Either way, once the maintenance repair vehicle pulls up next to the vehicle with the flat tire, make sure a fire/maneuver vehicle is right next to it providing security so the people on the ground can get the tire fixed.  This is just one way to deal with this particular scenario.  I am not saying it is the best way.  I am purposely not going into the weeds on every possible event.  It is important to make sure you rehearse and properly execute the best actions to fit your situation.

During rehearsals, it is important to go over the responsibilities of every person in the group.  The passenger in the lead vehicle is one of the most important positions.  He should be constantly watching the road for traps, road blocks, and disabling obstacles.  The passenger in the rear vehicle should be constantly watching the back of the group.  If possible, he should face to the rear with a set of optics so he can see any approach.  Every person in the group should be looking out of their windows and watching for any activity that might potentially be a danger to them.  Look for any groups of people that might be waiting to intercept vehicles.  There might be "scouts" with handheld radios on an overpass watching for upcoming vehicles so they can attack your group at a future point on the road.  I am not going to discuss what to do if you are directly attacked.  If you can, get away from it as quickly and safely as possible.  If it is unavoidable, come up with a plan using your fire/maneuver vehicles and try to overwhelm the enemy with force.  The quicker you show the enemy that you are not backing down and are in fact going to be a hard target, the more likely they will retreat and look for a soft target.      

A final major decision that you will need to make is whether or not you travel by day or by night.  They both have advantages and disadvantages.  One key advantage to traveling by day is visibility.  You will be able to see potential threats from a greater distance than by night.  Unfortunately, this works both ways and you are also more visible to potential attackers.  Traveling at night gives you the advantage of less people potentially out on the roads, and the ability to turn off all of your lights and "disappear" if needed.  Keep in mind that traveling at night without NVGs will require everyone to drive slower, because your visibility is limited to how far you can see with your headlights.

As I said from the beginning, there are multiple ways to do things.  The key is to have a plan, and stick to the plan so you can safely get to your final location.

James,
Thought your readers may be interested in the articles on Converting a 1973-1991 Suburban to Cummins diesel engine. The staff at Diesel Power magazine is publishing a set of articles during the course of this year on the details of converting an Older suburban into what they call the 'Doomsday Diesel Suburban'. The first article linked) covers swapping out the existing powerplant and converting to a Cummins diesel. Regards, - Allen C.

Mr. Rawles;
I have had several customers coming into my store, lately, that have had their windows smashed and their bug out bags taken. I encourage all to have something in their vehicle to survive in place or to get them home, but DON'T ADVERTISE IT by leaving it in plain sight in your vehicle, especially if there is a firearm or ammo inside. Put it in your trunk, floorboard with a dark colored cover or vehicle interior color cover over it, or in an area with tinted windows.

Thieves are starting to get a clue that BOBs or G.O.O.D. packs are high value targets.

Sincerely, - Jim L.

JWR Replies: If your vehicle's window design forces you to leave the contents of the cargo compartment in full public gaze, then camouflage what is there! Put your G.O.O.D. pack or dufflebag inside a cardboard box and prominently mark it to make it sound like something absolutely worthless, such as: "Newspapers - Recycle" or, "Rabbit Bedding Wood Chips", or "TV Guide 2005-2010" That, in my opinion is better than simply putting an opaque cover over your gear, with the end result of making it look like you've tried to conceal something of value. And truly valuable items such as firearms should be well hidden behind interior trim or upholstery, where only the most determined thief will find them.

After reading "Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse", I thought I would share a few experiences with horse ownership. I really enjoyed the book, a real page turner. And I wanted to weigh in on the techniques and experiences outlined in the book concerning horses. Let me first say that what was portrayed in Survivors is indeed real and doable, however the techniques and experiences in the book require a good deal of experience and training.

For the beginning first time horse owner who isn’t sure how tight to cinch a saddle, I would say getting a horse to lie down is a daunting, near impossible task at best. Getting a horse down is difficult because the last thing a horse does before it dies is to lie down, not something they are naturally inclined to do on command. Also, horses are a prey animal and think in those terms, that is, when you can get them to think and not react.
My horse journey started in my mid-teens on my uncle’s horse ranch in northeastern Ohio. He had a slew of them, stallions, brood mares and geldings. His top stallion was a grand national reining champion and was not a horse for the casual or timid rider. He required a firm, experienced hand. My exposure to this level of horsemanship kind of escaped me at the time and looking back I would have made better use of this experience. Fast forward 35 years or so and I regret not taking the opportunity to really learn from the best.

Today, I own three horses, two geldings and a mare. The mare came to us when my wife adopted a wild mustang who was with foal at the time. The foal was born on the farm and on my daughter’s birthday so it is easy to keep track of her age. Two summers ago, we were able to take the mare’s mother to a wild horse sanctuary and set her free as she was unbreakable. By unbreakable, I mean unusually harsh methods of training would have had to be employed to get her to accept a bit and saddle. With her being raised in the wilds of Nevada (Alkali Flat Region) this resulted in her being hopelessly on high alert. We believe in a more humane, natural horsemanship method whereby the horse becomes your partner and a willing participant with will broken but with spirit intact.

Training is a real big issue and should not be skimped on in the beginning. When we realized that our knowledge and experience were woefully inadequate, we sought out info on the internet and found several trainers with programs that you could buy. My two favorites are Clinton Anderson and Chris Cox. (See SurvivalBlog's DVD page.) Both are outstanding and are past Road to the Horse champions. I have been to many Clinton Anderson events and training clinics and his methods are very adaptable to even a green horn with little or no training or experience. Both of these horsemen are the real deal and have proven methods at an affordable price.
A word of caution on choosing a method and trainer as there are many people in the market place who make lots of big claims. Our experience after having been taken advantage of a couple of times as we learned about trainers is results. If you look into the two horsemen above, you will find they are very stingy with their endorsements. They do give them but it is after the new trainer has been under their direct supervision for several years. The internet is full of wannabe “Horse Whisperers” who will take your money and not produce any lasting or tangible results. Just keep in mind that horse owners and trainers are like firearms owners, everyone has their own opinion and way of doing things and are not afraid to tell you.

Today, seven years later, our mare is a top notch, do anything, bomb proof ride that is eager to please. My wife just completed a nine month saddle series for barrel racing, pole bending and hairpin at our local horse club. While she didn’t place high enough to win a saddle, her 14 ribbons out of 27 possible, speaks to my wife’s and the mare’s ability. She is not a barrel racer per se but chose this nine month event to truly develop her skills and relationship with her horse. The journey to get them there was not always an inexpensive, pleasant or easy one. The lesson here is that if you are considering getting into horse ownership, it comes with many hidden challenges. Depending on your level of experience, an older well trained gelding is probably best. In a survival situation, western is the preferred style of tack and riding, in my humble opinion.

The geldings are quite different from each other and the mare. The paint is about 8 years old, beautiful to look at but a handful, we call him “Dennis the Menace”, he’s always in trouble. The quarter horse is 18 years old and you can leave him in the pasture for months on end then decide to saddle him and off you go, no worries. The quarter horsewas a rescue and we got him to keep the paint company as the mare will beat them both to a pulp if pastured together. Hence, you need multiple pastures if you have mixed genders. Stallions are only for the most experienced owners and have their own special requirements. The average 1,100 pound stallion is not to be trifled with under any circumstances. Wrecks happen in a snap; you “will” not “can” be seriously injured or killed in the blink of an eye. Even the best, well trained gelding can spook without warning resulting in injury for the horse or rider or both.

Veterinary care is the next big issue. Just this week Dennis the Menace, who can be very colicky when the weather changes, had a particularly bad episode of colic. A cold front moving through with 20 degree temperature changes can wreak havoc on a horse’s digestive tract, don’t ask why just be aware it is a real phenomenon. We treated his early symptoms ourselves with some Banamine which usually helps him through. After several hours he showed no signs of improvement and a call was put in to the vet. After examining the bowel by hand (yes, long plastic glove and up the rear, armpit deep), intubation and pumping water and meds down the nose, 2 shots, one to sedate him and the other an anti-spasmodic, he was put in a paddock to watch for the rest of the night. And yes they’re like kids, they never get sick at 9 in the morning, it’s always after dark and in the rain. The cost was $285 which was not that much considering that a trip to the university vet hospital for a surgical remedy can run in the thousands. You have to be prepared to make some difficult choices to treat or to put down. These are real issues and can’t be sugar coated. As much as we love Dennis, he is not worth several thousand dollars in veterinary costs for one episode. The mare probably is at this point but I pray we never have to make that decision. You must be prepared for this eventuality.

Tack, grooming and housing are other serious expenses that must be considered when deciding on horse ownership. Tack can be a huge cost to get into; we recommend used tack until you firm up you discipline choice to keep the cost of entry low. There are many good deals to be had on used tack and Craigslist is an excellent resource. If you choose to take the plunge you should choose which avenue of horsemanship you want to travel. Western, English, Western Pleasure, Reining and Dressage are just a few of the different disciplines you can try. In a survival situation your choice should be adaptable to light draft work like pulling a buggy or cultivator or other small implement. If you intend to have a horse pull anything bigger than a small buck board or one or two row cultivator you will need a big draft horse or mule. My neighbor has a big (19 hands, 1,800 lbs) Percheron mule that can really lean into a plow and work all day. When in a crunch situation every extra mouth had better be in a position to carry its weight. Horses are big vacuum cleaners that suck up large amounts of food and resources, plain and simple.

There are many intangibles involved in horse ownership and choosing the right horse. Each discipline requires its own set of tack, temperament and tools. In my way of thinking, horses are like employees; I would rather hire for attitude and train for skill than hire a talented but high maintenance prima donna. When looking at horses for sale, it is important to look at a lot of them as this will give you an idea of what a good temperament is and how to spot it. After you have narrowed down your choices don’t be afraid to show up unannounced or on short notice to make sure no shenanigans are afoot with drugging and such. I have heard on more than one occasion of people getting home with their new horse only to have major problems after the drugs wore off. All reputable sellers should be willing to spring for a vet check when you are ready to get out the checkbook and buy.

It is worth noting that there are over 100,000 unwanted or under-wanted horses in America alone as I type. The BLM manages the Wild Horse and Burro Adoption program. There are many more horse rescues throughout the USA. I would suggest that anyone seriously interested in ownership with the time, skills and energy can find many opportunities to come up to speed very quickly. If you think you will find yourself in need of a horse in a crunch situation, do it now while things are pressure free. Trying to harness Ole Shiloh to get to the General Store after the flag goes up could be a life threatening proposition if you’re not prepared.

In closing, it must be stated that inexperienced riders and green-broke horses “Green on Green” leads to “Black and Blue”. We have the scars to prove it and want to make sure if you are heading into horse ownership you’re forewarned. Go volunteer at a rescue or find someone who will let you muck stalls in exchange for training and riding time. That said, we have had a wonderful and pleasurable journey with our horses. They can be very troublesome at times and make you scratch your head in worry. They can also give you many wonderful times of enjoyment. There is nothing as satisfying as spending the day at an event or on the trail with friends. One last thing, it is very easy to be all gung ho in the beginning, it is also very easy to get sidetracked with other things and end up with an expensive pasture ornament. Horse ownership is a serious commitment and should not be taken lightly. Happy Trails!