day late
money? whats that?
First of all, I'm not here to teach anyone how to become a combat soldier. Yes I am a vet, but that is why I won't do it. There is a reason why people in the service are considered old and past it at the ripe old age of 36. Things such as combat are best carried out by young professionals in the prime of their lives, I regret to say. Mainly because they have the stamina.
What I am here to do is to provide a few tips on how to make life easier, or at least survivable, when TSHTF. That said, here we go.
Mechanical watches are EMP proof. Nukes go off, per Russian plans, you may not be close enought to even hear it, but your electronics are out.
A good crossbow has the range of a shotgun at least. Plus they are a lot quieter. Sometimes being quiet is a good thing. Also, if the need arises, the bolts (arrows) can be made instead of purchased. Some crossbows come with a crank to pull the string back, while others have cranks that can be purchased seperately. In either case, with a draw weight of 150 lb.s or more, for some this might be a good idea.
It has long been in the Russian war plan to set off a nuke way above the mid-west. The EMP from that blast will take out most of the electronics through-out the country. That includes most cars too.
Funny thing is that engines that start with a pull rope, like a lawn mowner, or chainsaw, will most likely work. With a little work, and imagination a chainsaw can be adapted to a bicycle. May not go fast, or far, but with a small can of gas on the back, you are still mobile. And I think a little easier than adapting the mower engine into a go-cart. The main problem will be matching chains and sprockets. If you can adapt one of the sprockets from the bike to the saw, the problem should go away.
I hold in my hand one of the most important preps I have. A deck of playing cards. Not only does it work that way, but the back of each card is the picture of a plant. On the front are facts about the plant and how it is used. i.e. either food, or medicinal. Also has a little map of the country and where each item can be found.
The end of the box it says;
EDIBLE WILD FOOD CARDS
U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.
Stamford, CT 06902 U.S.A.
I found them in a local Army/Navy surplus store. The size of a regular deck, with a hole punched in one corner with a plastic loop in it. Takes up almost no size or weight, but, imho, worth more than its' weigh in suppertime veggies. I grew up in the Scouts. I served in the Infantry. I've enjoyed the out of doors all my life. I've been through this pack many times, and I KNOW that a lot of these things are edible.
A trusty old Zippo lighter. After the butanes run out, I'll be using their flints and refilling mine. Second reason for a Zippo. Spin the wheel backwards, and you just might have enough spark to start some tinder.
In the Army we called them P-38s'. Those little folding can openers they used to give the G.I.s. A million and one uses for that thing. I've used them for both for straight blade, and a Phillips screwdrivers. Usually they can be found in a basket by the register at the local Army/Navy store,for about .50 ea.
One thing that, to me, is simply a must have item in every car, is a recent "back roads atlas". These are map books, one for each state. The good news is that they show every known jeep trail, and cowpath. The bad news is that only major roads are marked. As for the rest, there is no way to tell the difference between a one lane dirt road, and a major two lane black top. You need to drive them yourself, and mark them, in the book, if you want.
I bought my atlas from a local gas station, which means you can find them most anywhere. It isn't enough to have one, you MUST be able to read it, (remember, most of the roads are un-marked, unless you marked them in some way.) and be able to change direction on the go.
Lets take a for instance;
Monday, mid morning, and that is when you hear about the first of three nukes going off. By the time number two goes off, all family members are present and accounted for. Only thing left is to move. You are half way to your bugout spot when the P.D. of some little no-where town have put up road blocks, and nobody goes in or out. And NO!!! you cann't go through.
How do you get around?
If you haven't driven the routes, then you are trusting to luck and the good graces of our Father in Heaven. Mark primary and secondary routes. Note cut-overs between them. Make it a sunday drive, and an adventure at the same time. Never know what might turn up in some little country store.
While we are discussing movement, there is another item that might come in useful. Believe it or not, it's duct tape. In the service vehicles have what are called "cats' eyes". This is a very small light on the front of the vehicle that serves as a headlight when moving at night, where there is a chance of being seen while moving, by the regular headlights. It's range is very limited, maybe 10 feet, and they are only bright enough to make a very small area visible. But by traveling slowly, you don't bump into things.
Now, the duct tape can be used to simulate these lights by taping over your headlights, and leaving only a slit about 1/2 inch tall and 3 inches wide. It reduces the light to just straight ahead, and not very far. One thing however, remember, the headlights generate heat. That means the tape glue is going to become sticky and the tape might come off. So I'm afraid the only answer to that is to tape from the metal on one side of the head light to the metal on the other. Since that metal doesn't get hot, it should hold the tape in place untill you arrive where you are going. Bad news is I cann't say what it will do to your paint job. Then again, if it gets you out of harms way, who cares what it does?
One thing to always remember is that powerlines, gas lines, rail lines, ect. all lead INTO town. But they also lead out. Most people won't even think about such things when tshtf. They will all be trying to get on the interstate, or other major roads to get away from whatever trouble is coming your way. Very few will be taking the service road under the power line, or the service road next to the gas lines, ect. This will be a good means of avoiding unwanted confrontations with the thick-skulled knuckle-draggers that will be manning the check points.
A wrist compass can be a very good friend in times of trouble. Worn like a watch, it will be a guide when you most need it. I cann't tell you the number of times I've had to use mine while hunting. I check the direction of the road before I head into the woods. Road goes east/west...I go into the woods on the north side of the road, to come out, I head south. Simple. BUT useless if you don't have a compass, or don't know how to use the sun/stars as a guide.
Believe it or not, I made a one/two person pontoon boat, out of 5 gal. buckets. To make the same boat I did, you will need the following,
12 Plastic 5 gal. buckets, with lids
6 pieces of plywood, 1/2 thick, about 6 inches square
18 screws 2&1/2X1/4 with two washers, and 18 nuts each
3 2X4's 4 ft. long
6 nylon tie down straps, 8 ft. long
2 2X2's 6 ft. long
1 sheet of plywood 4X6, or two pieces of plywood
making up the same length.
LOTS of screws, 1 inch to 1 and 1/2 inch work best for the most part, but you will need a few (12) 3" screws for the 2X2's on the sides.
-----------------------------------------------------------
First, put two lids together, top to top, by putting a
piece of plywood between them, and drilling three
holes through them, and the plywood. Then put a screw
with a washer into the hole, and put a washer and nut
on the other side to hold them together. One set of
screws and washers for each hole. Seal the holes with
a waterproof caulk, or something similar. Do this
untill you have six sets of lids screwed together with
the part that the bucket snaps into facing outward.
Snap the buckets into the lids. Another method is to use duct tape. Simply tape the lids together. It works, but imho, not as well.
By now you have three 2X4's each with a set of
buckets on each end. Using duct tape, tape the bottoms
of the buckets together, untill you have six buckets
in a row. This is one pontoon. Make the other side the
same way.
Next, attach the nylon straps, with screws, one each,
to each end of the 4 ft. 2X4's. Wrap the strap around
one of the buckets (near to, but NOT to the lid). Do
the same for the other side. Do this for each of the
six sets of buckets you have. An 8' strap will go around both buckets.
Now attach the 2X2's to each side of the 2X4's, then
simply place the plywood on top of it all, and screw
it down.
Maybe not up to Navy specs, but this thing can be used
as a boat, a raft for the kids to play with, enough of
them can be used as either a emergency dock, or a
pontoon bridge, depending on how you put them
together.
What I am here to do is to provide a few tips on how to make life easier, or at least survivable, when TSHTF. That said, here we go.
Mechanical watches are EMP proof. Nukes go off, per Russian plans, you may not be close enought to even hear it, but your electronics are out.
A good crossbow has the range of a shotgun at least. Plus they are a lot quieter. Sometimes being quiet is a good thing. Also, if the need arises, the bolts (arrows) can be made instead of purchased. Some crossbows come with a crank to pull the string back, while others have cranks that can be purchased seperately. In either case, with a draw weight of 150 lb.s or more, for some this might be a good idea.
It has long been in the Russian war plan to set off a nuke way above the mid-west. The EMP from that blast will take out most of the electronics through-out the country. That includes most cars too.
Funny thing is that engines that start with a pull rope, like a lawn mowner, or chainsaw, will most likely work. With a little work, and imagination a chainsaw can be adapted to a bicycle. May not go fast, or far, but with a small can of gas on the back, you are still mobile. And I think a little easier than adapting the mower engine into a go-cart. The main problem will be matching chains and sprockets. If you can adapt one of the sprockets from the bike to the saw, the problem should go away.
I hold in my hand one of the most important preps I have. A deck of playing cards. Not only does it work that way, but the back of each card is the picture of a plant. On the front are facts about the plant and how it is used. i.e. either food, or medicinal. Also has a little map of the country and where each item can be found.
The end of the box it says;
EDIBLE WILD FOOD CARDS
U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.
Stamford, CT 06902 U.S.A.
I found them in a local Army/Navy surplus store. The size of a regular deck, with a hole punched in one corner with a plastic loop in it. Takes up almost no size or weight, but, imho, worth more than its' weigh in suppertime veggies. I grew up in the Scouts. I served in the Infantry. I've enjoyed the out of doors all my life. I've been through this pack many times, and I KNOW that a lot of these things are edible.
A trusty old Zippo lighter. After the butanes run out, I'll be using their flints and refilling mine. Second reason for a Zippo. Spin the wheel backwards, and you just might have enough spark to start some tinder.
In the Army we called them P-38s'. Those little folding can openers they used to give the G.I.s. A million and one uses for that thing. I've used them for both for straight blade, and a Phillips screwdrivers. Usually they can be found in a basket by the register at the local Army/Navy store,for about .50 ea.
One thing that, to me, is simply a must have item in every car, is a recent "back roads atlas". These are map books, one for each state. The good news is that they show every known jeep trail, and cowpath. The bad news is that only major roads are marked. As for the rest, there is no way to tell the difference between a one lane dirt road, and a major two lane black top. You need to drive them yourself, and mark them, in the book, if you want.
I bought my atlas from a local gas station, which means you can find them most anywhere. It isn't enough to have one, you MUST be able to read it, (remember, most of the roads are un-marked, unless you marked them in some way.) and be able to change direction on the go.
Lets take a for instance;
Monday, mid morning, and that is when you hear about the first of three nukes going off. By the time number two goes off, all family members are present and accounted for. Only thing left is to move. You are half way to your bugout spot when the P.D. of some little no-where town have put up road blocks, and nobody goes in or out. And NO!!! you cann't go through.
How do you get around?
If you haven't driven the routes, then you are trusting to luck and the good graces of our Father in Heaven. Mark primary and secondary routes. Note cut-overs between them. Make it a sunday drive, and an adventure at the same time. Never know what might turn up in some little country store.
While we are discussing movement, there is another item that might come in useful. Believe it or not, it's duct tape. In the service vehicles have what are called "cats' eyes". This is a very small light on the front of the vehicle that serves as a headlight when moving at night, where there is a chance of being seen while moving, by the regular headlights. It's range is very limited, maybe 10 feet, and they are only bright enough to make a very small area visible. But by traveling slowly, you don't bump into things.
Now, the duct tape can be used to simulate these lights by taping over your headlights, and leaving only a slit about 1/2 inch tall and 3 inches wide. It reduces the light to just straight ahead, and not very far. One thing however, remember, the headlights generate heat. That means the tape glue is going to become sticky and the tape might come off. So I'm afraid the only answer to that is to tape from the metal on one side of the head light to the metal on the other. Since that metal doesn't get hot, it should hold the tape in place untill you arrive where you are going. Bad news is I cann't say what it will do to your paint job. Then again, if it gets you out of harms way, who cares what it does?
One thing to always remember is that powerlines, gas lines, rail lines, ect. all lead INTO town. But they also lead out. Most people won't even think about such things when tshtf. They will all be trying to get on the interstate, or other major roads to get away from whatever trouble is coming your way. Very few will be taking the service road under the power line, or the service road next to the gas lines, ect. This will be a good means of avoiding unwanted confrontations with the thick-skulled knuckle-draggers that will be manning the check points.
A wrist compass can be a very good friend in times of trouble. Worn like a watch, it will be a guide when you most need it. I cann't tell you the number of times I've had to use mine while hunting. I check the direction of the road before I head into the woods. Road goes east/west...I go into the woods on the north side of the road, to come out, I head south. Simple. BUT useless if you don't have a compass, or don't know how to use the sun/stars as a guide.
Believe it or not, I made a one/two person pontoon boat, out of 5 gal. buckets. To make the same boat I did, you will need the following,
12 Plastic 5 gal. buckets, with lids
6 pieces of plywood, 1/2 thick, about 6 inches square
18 screws 2&1/2X1/4 with two washers, and 18 nuts each
3 2X4's 4 ft. long
6 nylon tie down straps, 8 ft. long
2 2X2's 6 ft. long
1 sheet of plywood 4X6, or two pieces of plywood
making up the same length.
LOTS of screws, 1 inch to 1 and 1/2 inch work best for the most part, but you will need a few (12) 3" screws for the 2X2's on the sides.
-----------------------------------------------------------
First, put two lids together, top to top, by putting a
piece of plywood between them, and drilling three
holes through them, and the plywood. Then put a screw
with a washer into the hole, and put a washer and nut
on the other side to hold them together. One set of
screws and washers for each hole. Seal the holes with
a waterproof caulk, or something similar. Do this
untill you have six sets of lids screwed together with
the part that the bucket snaps into facing outward.
Snap the buckets into the lids. Another method is to use duct tape. Simply tape the lids together. It works, but imho, not as well.
By now you have three 2X4's each with a set of
buckets on each end. Using duct tape, tape the bottoms
of the buckets together, untill you have six buckets
in a row. This is one pontoon. Make the other side the
same way.
Next, attach the nylon straps, with screws, one each,
to each end of the 4 ft. 2X4's. Wrap the strap around
one of the buckets (near to, but NOT to the lid). Do
the same for the other side. Do this for each of the
six sets of buckets you have. An 8' strap will go around both buckets.
Now attach the 2X2's to each side of the 2X4's, then
simply place the plywood on top of it all, and screw
it down.
Maybe not up to Navy specs, but this thing can be used
as a boat, a raft for the kids to play with, enough of
them can be used as either a emergency dock, or a
pontoon bridge, depending on how you put them
together.
