What have you done to prep today?

[thedigininja]

Wellie, I love "bag time". I have 4 from EDC to INCH and then 2 for Mrsninja so I'm frequently rotating and replacing goods. I've recently replaced all my freeze drieds with meal shake which also greatly reduced weight and space consumed.

One of our last resort bug out routes would take us over a mountain on foot and the shortest paths require going directly vertical at some spots so we've taken up rock climbing. So far just doing sport climbing until we're conditioned enough to do some free climbing and bouldering. Apparently my hands have become SOFT! Feels like I took 80 grit sand paper to them.

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Very cool!  I am definitely focusing on roads as my way of getting home.  In my get home bag I have maps of the area, so if I can't follow main highways I should still be able to find back roads home.  I've been working on walking and running so I'll be able to get home if I need to.

[JoJo]

Welli, Like you I have local maps, my state map and maps of the surrounding states in my car. The local maps are Realtor maps that show every street, state forest and ponds in the area.
 The past week I've been cutting down trees that made hiding places. 

[Nemo]

I do the maps thing too.  Wife has a GPS but I prefer paper.  Besides, I have a fused ankle and replaced hip so no running here.  I have to subscribe to the French Foreign Legion motto-- March or Die.

Nemo

[JoJo]

Made some Hard Tack today. Came out hard as a rock just like it's supposed to. I also spent an hour at the range shooting off hand only missed once at fifty yards. Last week at 100 yards missed three.

[JohnyMac]

Winter wood supply was delivered yesterday.

The tri axle you see in the Pic delivered 19-20 Ton of logs cut last February. That will give us between 8-10 cords.

We only need 5 cords this year as we have 2 left over from last years mild winter. The plan is to sell the rest at $120- if a customer picks up. I will deliver for $150- a cord.

My brother is coming up for the weekend. I haven't told him yet that he will be put to work this weekend. 

[JohnyMac]

Our Tri axle of wood arrived late in the season but I am finally done putting wood in for the winter.

Cut 5 cords of 22" long logs (had 2 cords left over from last years mild winter so only needed 5). Then split those 22" sections. Then negotiated with my 13 year old neighbor (Has a Technicians license and going for his General this coming Wednesday) to stack the split wood. He needs the money to buy a HF radio and I guess I am his rice bowl. I am paying him $7- a cord to stack the wood and all off the orange soda he can drink. The soda is costing us more than the dang price per cord.

Part of the negotiations with my neighbor was for me to move the 5 cords of split fire wood in bulk close to the area it will be stacked. Completed that job today using his Dad's New Holland tractor complete with front bucket! 

With only processing 5 cords of the 10 I received, I have a head-start on next years project.

This cost me in total:

> $650- for the tri axle ~10 cords,
> Had all of my chain saw chains sharpened once during the cutting period , $6- each chain X 6 chains = $36-,
> Used 5 gallons of gas total. I use non ethanol gas @ $2.65 a gallon x 5 gallons $13.25,
> Used 2 of those little bottles of 50:1 oil, $2- x 2 = $4., and
> Payed $7- per cord to stack, so $7- x 5 = $35-

Lets see... 10 cords cost us: $650 but only needed 5 cords this year so divide by 2 = $325- + $36- + $13.25 + $4- + $35- = $413.25 / 5 cords = $82.65 a cord. Not bad as a cord of wood back in RI costs $250-, split and delivered with me stacking it.

Yes I have a smashed finger but it is almost healed, my right hip and elbow are killing me; However, I have all winter to recoup. 

I AM DONE!!!

PS: Everybody talked me out of selling the left over wood as planned. I finally agreed to have a jump on next season wood/heat.

[Well-Prepared Witch]

You got a lot done!  Hope your finger feels better soon.

Today I stocked up on canned goods.  I had some good coupons and decided to lay in some more veggies.  I also picked up a couple jars of instant coffee.  I'm told it doesn't taste as good as ground coffee, but it lasts just about forever. This way we'll have a month or two of daily coffee for Mr. WPW should we need it.  Long enough for him to wean himself off of it if we couldn't get any more for some reason.  Because trust me - I do NOT want to deal with him in a grumpy mood, especially when things are already tough enough due to SHTF. 

[Nemo]

So you got all that wood dealt with from delivery 31 Aug to 12 Nov.  Lets see, 5 cord, about 10 weeks makes that half cord a week.  Half cord a week means lotsa work a week.  Lotsa work a week means soreness, sweat and blisters.  Throw in a smashed finger and cold weather.

Sounds like lotsa fun-- NOT!

But enough to keep you busy and more than old guys like us me want to.  But less than we really should be.

Nemo

[JohnyMac]

@ Wellie, I hear ya' about the coffee thing. Our second favorite coffee is on sale today at the local market so I am buying 5 bags. That will bring up our stash to 9 weeks worth of the evil brew. I like the instant coffee idea as a back up. MrsMac drinks some Vietnamese instant coffee sometimes called 3 in 1. In a pinch it would be Ok but I do not like the taste.
 
@ Nemo,Yeah seems like a long time however if it was delivered in July like it was supposed to be the chore would have been done by Sept 1.

This years cutting and splitting had to be done during a period where a shit-ton (accounting term) of other fall chores had to be done. Plus my neighbor and I share the same log splitter so there were weeks I did not have access to it.

This spring, if the world is still intact, we have to buy our own log splitter. Two is one and one is none 

[Nemo]

This years cutting and splitting had to be done during a period where a shit-ton (accounting term)

I knew that.  Where do ya think I came up with the legal term crap ton.  Judges don't so much like alot of the other in a courtroom so I had to tone it down a bit.

Nemo

[JoJo]

This week I bought a Sawyer water filter a folding knife and two cans of roast beef for my get home bag. The bag now has a 72hr food pack, axe 2 flashlights strike anywhere matches, flint and steel , 1/2 roll of TP, compass, straight blade knife and some Meds. I have to get a canteen and a few other items.

[Kbop]

I added a kelly kettle to my get home gear.
i would have to walk several days to get home if stranded at work.  I figure a hot meal and heat source couldn't hurt having at hand during the winter.

[Nemo]

Done a bit of walking around the neighborhood and planning more.  I am not far from the Appalachian Trail and plan on dong parts of it come warm weather again.  If I can get in shape sufficient I just might try to do all.  It would take a year or 3 going parts at a time.  I sure ain't doing 2100 miles in one summer.

But anyway, I tried a one shoulder sling bag and for more than a half mile its not so good.  So I found an old Alice belt, suspenders and such in an old box. Got is all adjusted and ready to go.

Figure smaller modern waist carry pouch at butt, canteen or 2 (1 each side) next, good knife and Alice mag pouch carrying phone and snacks on the left and Sneaky Pete type holster one the right with a Springfield compact 1911, 2 extra mags and a compass and IFAK on the suspenders.  Butt pouch will have extra socks, jacket, rain sheet, fire stuff, mylar blanket or 3 and that type stuff.  Full weight about 12 pounds.

Now I gotta load up and do the neighborhood mile and live through that.  Should not be issue on my street because all the neighbors know I always carry, 99% open.  But the street over or 2?

I figure with load that I am good for a day or worst case one night.  Area I am in I cannot get more lost than that.  Just uphill till I find the Blue Ridge Parkway or down until I get to it or some other road and I am good.  I would probably always go downhill.

Hope the fan is not turned on until I am down 25 or so pounds.

Hurry back warm weather for reasons above and I Hate Cold!

Nemo

[JohnyMac]

Like what you wrote Nemo. Just remember old Bill, "One day at a time."

[thedigininja]

Been out of touch for several weeks so first I want to say Happy New Year to all UPers. I hope that your holidays were safe and uneventful.

Busy with Aquaponics 3.0
I need to keep expanding the setup because just with the 3 comets I have left they are producing far more nutrients than expected. I am also introducing a worm farm for more balanced nutrition. Made a rather large screw up. I built the frame off site and although I though I took all aspects into account I messed up on the gradient of it's final resting place so I need to make a few alterations. Going to be a pain in the ass because I don't have the necessary tools on site but it shouldn't be a big job.

Our drought still hasn't broken, food prices are soaring and at current estimate we are likely to run out of water within 6 weeks (while we are about 12 weeks away from the end of the dry season). Our storage space is severely limited but we have at least increased our personal water reserve to a 3 week supply.

Finally done saving for a side arm and begin the process of acquiring it next week.

[JohnyMac]

Sounds like you have been very busy thedigininja. Thx for filling us in. Good luck on the water.

[JoJo]

 Repacked 32lbs of rice in a bucket with a Gamma Seal lid that I got at Lowes. Put up 3lbs of beans in Mylar bags bought 2 more cans of beef and 2 cans of carrots.
The can food I buy are the small cans sold at a regular food stores because there is just two of us and I feel if I bought large cans a good portion would go to waste because when SHTF there will not be any way to keep it from going bad.
 I saw food grade buckets at Walmart for $2.95 in the paint section.  I should have gone there first.
I'm short on breakfast foods so that will be my next purchase. Any suggestions?

[Kbop]

@JoJo, great minds
i just got a few buckets, gamma seal lids, mylar bags and desiccant packs.  the Mrs and I are adding some more stuffs to our preps and improving our security a bit.  I'll fill the buckets over the next couple of months.
-
for the buckets, i try Lowes and Home Depot (local hardware stores).  I also check Tractor Supply Store.
I had to replace one Lowes bucket a few weeks ago, it was cracked.

I think from here on, i'll try and stick with the 90 mil buckets instead of the 70 mil like Home Depot and Lowes sell.

[pkveazey]

My latest is an order for heirloom seeds. I also ordered an electric cigarette rolling machine and 1000 filtered tubes. We just got back from town where I bought a pound of preschredded tobacco. Yep, we both smoke and ready rolls are good trading materials.

[JohnyMac]

pkveazey, how is the quality of the tobacco you bought in comparison to top shelf smokes like Marlboro, Camels, Larks, etc. ?

MrsMac and I are no longer smokers but might be worth investing on a bartering prep.

[pkveazey]

My wife smokes Tahoe Cigarettes so I bought a 1 pound resealable plastic bag of Tahoe tobacco. It cost about $19 a bag but there are brands that start at about $13 a bag. They go up from there. I'm a newbie to rolling my own with a machine and filtered paper tubes, so I can give you more info after it arrives this weekend and I've tried it out. I smoke Pyramids and they come in flip open boxes. I've started saving my empty boxes for the ones that I roll. My friend who has been doing it for awhile said that a carton cost him about $8. My wife has to pay $38 a carton for her factory rolled Tahoes. So far, I have invested a total of $64 in the machine, paper tubes, and tobacco. That's the price of about 2 cartons of factory rolled.

[Nemo]

Side note.  I did the cigarette thing for near 40 years.  LOVED IT.  Heart attack helped me decide to quit.  Get rid of the health issues and I would restart right now.

But if you really want to get the thrill of them-- run out and go all day without a smoke. 

Like the everlasting question-- which would you give up, smoking or sex?

Not my answer but something to think about-- you can have a cigarette 20, 30, 40 times a day.

Back to regular subject now.

Nemo

[thedigininja]

Rolling your own can actually be quite therapeutic, because if you don't switch off your brain while you're doing large quantities you might go insane, and obviously considerably cheaper.

When I was still in school I bought a manual rolling kit, not with the tubes but loose paper and filters. Had an Egyptian contact that would organise me some rather interesting blends and then another spot where we could get flavoured tobaccos. When the rest of the delinquents got wind of this they all wanted to buy my rollies instead of the branded stuff so I had to start manufacturing in bulk. Started off a bit clumsy but in the end I was rolling about 200 in an hour.

Thanks for reminding me, I've actually wanted to add some to my barter goods for some time. I used to have a few cartons of Peter Stuyvesant stashed but they take up way too much space, vacuum sealed tobacco is much easier to store.

[pkveazey]

OK... I already had bought the tobacco, the rolling machine arrived yesterday, and today the filtered paper tubes showed up. I plugged the wall wart into the wall and tried rolling smokes. It worked quite well. I found that the machine doesn't really hold the cigarette very well while its packing the tobacco into the tube. I put my thumb on the filter end and waited for the cigarette to push against it. Then when it started to feed it out, I pinched the cigarette with just enough resistance to get a tight pack. Its a pretty simple principle. You slide an empty paper tube onto a metal tube. Inside the metal tube, there is a metal auger(pretty much just a spring) that turns and feeds the tobacco through the metal tube and into the paper tube. As the auger feeds, the cigarette gets pushed off the metal tube. The instant the cigarette gets pushed to the end of the metal tube, you let go of the push button and the auger stops turning. I did about 128 smokes in less than an hour. I smoked one and it was a bit strong so I put a pin hole on each side of the filter to slightly slow down the draw and it made it just like an Ultralight smoke.