Winter Update

Yeah its been a while since I posted last. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Mine didn't go so well. I ended up in the ER Christmas Eve. Turns out a cold that I was fighting turned into a double ear infection. I spent most of my Christmas day sleeping. But that was the worst that happened.

My dad asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I almost jokingly typed "Ammo and MREs". I told my brother and sure enough, for Christmas a case of MREs landing on my lap. 12 MREs and 650 rounds of ammo, and some miscellaneous stuff were my gifts. My wife got her first pistol too! Its a very exciting time. It was a great holiday with my family. It was the first without my brother-in-law, who passed away several months ago, and my brother and his family, they moved out of state making it tough to get together for holidays. But enough of all that.

The York Gunshow was last weekend. In the wake of tragedy in CT, the good folks that love and own guns have lost their minds. I am a (stable-minded) gun owner, I don't like to panic buy. However, dealers there, and from what I understand, everywhere, have gouged their prices for "assault rifle style" weapons. (Side Note: I hate the term assault rifle because its not through around in the media to describe any rifle that has a pistol grip and is magazine fed. ALSO, they started throwing around the term "Semi-Automatic". The words "Assault" and "automatic" scare the crap out of people that don't understand or respect weapons.) I saw Saiga shotguns, that 3 weeks ago at the Harrisburg MAAC gunshow, were around 750-800. They were 1100 at the York show. The unfortunate part is people were happy to pay whatever price dealers felt like selling it at. AR style weapons were in the 2000 range. They were flying off the tables. When we allow that kind of treatment, we tell the dealers that this is okay. Also, when we behave like this it gives these anti-gun folks something to point at and yell "SEE! THEY'RE UNSTABLE! LOOK AT THEM BUYING! WE CAN'T HAVE THIS!" Please, please, please, stop buying like this. They're just using us to fuel their own machine. Now, on a positive note, gun parts were at an all time low price. There wasn't much there, though I wasn't surprised in the least. I knew this gun show would be the push for rifles and ammo. 7.62x39 was sold out by Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, a single case was left. Each box of 20 rounds was selling at a $10/box.
So gun parts were low priced and tactical gear was plentiful. I picked up a great thigh rig and a pouch for $20. That's it in the picture. Also, picked up a magazine for the pistol and for the wife's pistol. Including $29 in fuel, we spent right under $100. It was a good run. I also got my samurai patch, made my donation to the Wounded Vets, and finally got a 550 cord bracelet that fit!

Over the weekend, I officially started integrating my wife into the prepping. Shes always been a part of it, she's supported it and actively participated. But we've now broken the barrier. We're going to starting putting together her B.O.B. She officially has her own box on the shelf. I know it doesn't seem extremely exciting but it is to me.

Speaking of the shelves, I recently revamped the prepping room. Originally, the shelves were placed against the wall making them fully visible from the door. This was easy access for our food when we were going to use it. However, it was visible from the door. There was the problem. I didn't like that by walking past the door, or looking up through the window you could see the shelves. You weren't able to see what was on them, but shelving units like this are not a standard furnishing in an apartment like mine. Someone might be able to tell that I was stockpiling. I have taken to the idea of its probably best to stay low-key. Taking the opportunity to rearrange I could also go through everything. So the picture there is what is left of the food stuff after I picked it over. For two people, I'd say that isn't so bad.

I also missed the whole Mayan end of the world thing. Obviously, we're all still here. No one did anything really dumb. We all live to fight another day.

Well, this went much longer than I thought it would. I hope everyone enjoys the last of 2012! I'll update with some winter updates as things change. Its a very exciting time!

Post Gear Inventory Review

I didn't get the feedback, but the folks that did respond (and thank you for the responses!) gave me great advice!

So everyone that respond brought up some simple things that I have completely looked over. The simple things usually get looked over completely. So here are a few things that folks brought up and some things I thought of.

1. A compass.
I have a compass. Its an app on my iPhone. ...Obviously, I cannot rely on that.

2. Duct tape.
Who the hell doesn't have a roll of duct tape!? Me. But not for long. I'm going to fix that.

3. Solar lights.
These can be found pretty cheap and would be really nice to have in a no power situation. ...as long as the sun doesn't burn out I have a reusable resource.

4. Fishing kit. 
 I have one, BUT I've been meaning to expand it.

5. Water purification system.
I don't have one. ...Thats silly. I'm going to work on that.

6. Eating utensils.
No plate, bowl, cup, fork, knife, or spoon. I'm a little surprised that I've overlooked that.

So we're going to fix those things. I'm going to keep working on other stuff. I've got some other things I want to learn. I'll update everyone with that later! but for now, I'm off! Its back to normal grind tomorrow! 

Physical Gear Inventory

I decided I wanted to go through my gear so I can see a full list. This is going to be the list of what I have on my shelves. I'll make a post later this evening after I've made my decisions about which direction I want to go. SO here is it!

1 Power Inverter
1 Hand crank radio/flashlight
2 AAA Battery powered LED flashlights
1 AAA Battery powered LED Headlamp
20 AAA Batteries
10+ Lighters
10+ Boxes of matches
5 Bricks of Triocane
50+ Tea light candles
3 Bandanas
1 Shemagh
1 Pair of leather gloves
12 Pairs of latex gloves
1 Drop Holster
2 2-quart canteens
1 compressed fleece blanket
5 Heavy-duty contractor bags
100+ Feet of 550 cord
1 Fully stocked gun cleaning kit
1 Fully stocked sewing kit
2 Fully stocked first aid kits
1 Fully stocked tool kit
1 Minor electrical repair kit
1 Duffel bag
1 Backpack
2 Compressed nylon bags
2 30 caliber ammo cans
1 Etool
Various bottles of vitamins
Various manuals
Various local/county maps
1 Kubaton
26 12 gauge shells
2000+ .22LR rounds
260 7.62x39 rounds
200 5.56 rounds
10+ Various knives (including metal, poly, folding, and fixed)
2 Pairs of handcuffs

I also have my primary, secondary, and hand to hand weapons.

I'd let to get some feedback on this so I can get a different view point before I post my second post tonight.

Pre-Winter Inventory

So as you may remember my Pre-Fall inventory was a little painful. I didn't realize how much I DIDN'T have. Needless to say, at the end of that day I was feeling a little like a beat puppy.

Since that day, I made some lists and some conscious decisions to make some changes. SO without further ado, I present my Pre-Winter Inventory:

(1) Camp Stove
(1) 3 Gal. Drink Dispenser
(4) Cans of Sterno Fuel
(3) Bottles of propane
(48) Bottles of water (stored)
(9) Boxes of Mac and Cheese (Requires Milk and Butter)
(16) Cups of mixed fruit
(8) Boxes of assorted dry pasta
(2) Jars Spaghetti sauce
(2) Bottles of ketchup
(1) Bottle of BBQ Sauce
(2) Boxes Mac and Cheese (Requires nothing extra)
(1) Carton bread crumbs
(34) Packs of Roman Noodles
(3) Cans of Dinty Moore Beef Stew
(4) Cans of assorted soups

Its still not my target but it is WAY better than before. From here I'll be making additional lists and some more decisions about what is going to be useful.

As for plans for the following couples months, I've made a list of things I'd like to accomplish. This is the list in no specific order:

1. Learn how to properly pickle. As a first test, make pickles.
2. Reform my decisions in the gym. Starting with my lack of gym time.
3. Learn how to make bread.
4. Continue my stockpiling.
5. Reform my finances.
6. By the end of the winter, I would like to own my first shotgun.

I don't think that any of that is unreachable. But that list is ever changing and currently it is not prioritized.

For now, that is it. I'll be working on my physical inventory of non-food items and eventually post it. I know there are a few small kits that I would like to finish before I post it.

I'm Gearing Up to Return

Being on hiatus for almost a month, I've had time to get thing back into order. So over the next couple days I'm going to start posting posts. This weekend I'll be doing my pre-winter inventory along with some a list of corrections from my pre-fall inventory. Also a post of what I'll be doing for the next couple months. For now though, lets recap the Superstorm Sandy.

In my particular area, Sandy was a flop. It did not turn out to be what it was thought to be. Now, miles away my parents house got hammered, they had multiple trees come down close my and snap multiple lines, and some damage was done to near by cemetery. Hopefully everything can be fixed. I know most of the damage happened in one of the old parts. The flop is not really the main part of the conversation. The wife and I didn't seem immediate danger, we did some travelling and errand running Monday after the county I work in was declared state of emergency. We decided that it would be fun to go for a walk around walmart to find out what they did to it. I wish now that I would have taken pictures because it was comedically bare. Propane, water, flashlights, camp stoves, bread, and most batteries were wiped clean. Also, surprisingly, junk food. People were stocking up on comfort food. I didn't need anything but we did decide to pick up two cases of bottled water because they were available and the storm gave me a reason to buy it. The other reason was the line was all but empty. It was fun to be able to go into the place and not worry about trying to find anything or desperately search for scraps.

We took a run west to Chambersburg to Gander Mountain. I was looking for ammo prices and found that people had pillaged Gander for propane and camp stoves. So here is where it got fun, to prepare for a long duration indoors we made a trip into Comics World and got lots of entertainment and reading material.

Side Note: 
Comic Fans listen up! The following comics are awesome:
1. Before Watchmen: Comedian
2. Before Watchmen: Rorschach
3. Batman: Arkham Unhinged
4. Hit Girl (From Kick Ass)
5. Batman: The Dark Knight
 
It occurred to me that morale is terribly important in these situations. These goofy ill prepared people grabbed flashlights and water and went home to a tense family. While the power was on they were watching TV, playing video games, or messing with their phone. What happens when the power is gone? Suddenly no one has something to focus attention on. I'm all for families spending quality time together but if you're not used to it, they will eventually get irritable. Makes for a terrible bug-in situation. SO, Sandy taught me to never forget about morale.

So, when we got home we decided the wind was picking up and the rain was starting to fall we decided to button up the house. Cleaning out the bathtub and filling it, taking the dog out for a quick walk, pack up the porch, and purge all the garbage were priority. We were locked down in just less than 15 minutes. I was proud however, I think its time to decide protocol for lock down. After I originally posted that we had it locked down, Bohica said practice. I think that is a good idea so that in case we have a short notice problem, which are most problems are, we can get it together as fast.

That's it for now! Saturday I'll be doing my Pre-Winter Inventory. As a preview, I'm way happier with this inventory than the Pre-Fall Inventory.

Week in Review

You can look at this as very late or 3 days early.

If you're thinking its very late, its because it is. My apologies. I've been running full speed the past week. So here's the timeline!

Last week: Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing

Saturday: Left nice and early in the morning and went to Baltimore for Comic con! This was the wife's first convention and she loved it. She decided that she wants to go back next year, but she wants to go in costume. SO, that gives me an exciting opportunity. I would like to dress up too and what I want to make allows me to get a few of the things I'd like for my kit. Now, I can piece it together over a long period of time because I have over a year to do it. Its not going to be one big lump sum all at once. The picture is the idea for my costume. With that costume I'll have to buy the gloves, knee pads, and elbow pads I've wanted. I'm also adding a thigh rig to it, and a few pouches since my pockets in the pants won't be able to be used I'll have to have something to put stuff into. Finally, I'll need to purchase proper boots and a set of black BDUs. But its all beside the point, it really has nothing to do with prepping. But its gonna be fun anyway.

Sunday: I spent some time at Barnes and Noble reading. I've been looking into alot of books about personal finances. The new system we came up with is working GREAT. We have majority of our bills paid off the FIRST paycheck of the month. I'm taking care of some debt when I get paid and we knocked down some extra on a one of the credit cards. But again, like Comic Con, it has nothing to do with prepping. Simply, we're working with our money and getting more out of it. Hopefully, this extra money we can expand our prepping.

Now we get to this week and its all headed down hill.
Monday: Nothing happens, Panzer is acting funny.

Tuesday: Panzer continues to act funny. That evening, I bent down to pat Panzer for following his command perfectly, suddenly a pain shoots up from the base of my spine to the back of my neck. I ignored and powered through the pain thinking it will be better in the morning.

Wednesday: I wake up and can hardly move. My back is stiff and very sore. Again, like an idiot, I power through it. I make it through work until about lunch. My wife made my first ever Chiropractor appointment. The chiropractor could be my friend, I felt pretty good. However, basically my right side is way more tense then my left. This is connected to my ankle hurting. Also may be the reason my knee has been hurting.

Thursday: Woke up very sore. ...Very sore. Can't really move. Unfortunately, I had to call off. With my wife off for the day and me being down for the day we decided to take Panzer to the Vet. He has been acting funny for the past 2 weeks. He wasn't eating, scratching, and had some sores on his belly and tail. Turns out he has fleas and the eating problem is his being picky. So I spent the day tearing apart the house and cleaning top to bottom. I'm not interested in any kind of infestations. It gave me a great chance to clean from top to bottom. This evening we started out second round of obedience training classes.

The week has been a little rough. 

Tomorrow, I go back to the chiropractor to have him look. Also, going back to work with being off for a day is terrifying. I never know what I'm walking into. But I'm ready to take it all on.

The plan for this weekend is to go to DF and EF's future house, we're doing some repainting and I get to check out the next locations for a greenhouse.

Man, that's all for now. I'll update again on Sunday. Again, sorry for the delay.

Week in Review

This week has been very calm. Nothing of major note has happened.

While I wasn't actually going to post anything, it has become a weekly ritual. I don't like missing weeks.

There is one thing that came of this week. After all the numbers and looking at the money I've decided that for the next couple months I'm going to very low. I have some shows and movies I want to catch up on, some range time to put in, some planning to do, and some games I've been meaning to put some time in to. Most of all, money to save. So I'm putting all Field Trips on hiatus. There aren't many Field Trips left that I had planned, but the ones I did I'm putting on hold probably for a few months. However, I'm hoping for some more training exercise ideas. I think my next one will be a hands on time with my bug out bag. I wish I had more people around that would take part in a bug in/bug out weekend. I would love to set up a weekend. I'm working out the kinks. Even if no one else will participate I'll do it by myself. I'll begin planning this week, work out the kinks then have a full on scenario.

Anyway, I have to cut this short. I've lost track of time today. Sorry this wasn't more exciting.

Rest in peace - Dino Taylor

A month or so back I posted a fundraiser for a Baltimore City police officer. His name was Dino Taylor. He was in a nasty accident a while back that put him down for a bit. He past away last week. He was a friend and worked with my brother in law who past away a few months ago. It is a sad loss for Baltimore City. I still have friends there and I wish them the best of luck and hope that they stay out of danger.

My wife wrote:
Today we lost a great husband, father, police officer, and friend Dino Taylor. He was a great man, who was there for me when I lost my brother exactly 5 months ago. Dino you will never be forgotten. I'm sure Nick was there to greet you with that contagious smile of his. Love and miss you, my friend.

If any of you did donate, I thank you. I know we all don't agree with police and the media only shows us the cops that kick a woman in the face while she cuffed on the ground or whatever. The truth of it all is what we're shown is only the nasty power driven cops, who are only cops because they have a badge. The ones we often forget about are the good guys that do their job day after day, that go to work knowing they could be punched, shot, stabbed, spit on, or whatever. Those police aren't given enough credit. 

Rest in peace, Dino. You'll be missed.

It's not a hobby, it's a way of life.

For the record this is a junk post. Lots of thoughts but no organizations...Read at your own Risk.
 
So I'm crunching numbers budgeting my personal finances. I'm doing this because it needs done and usually my wife does it, but I feel like I've put all the pressure on her and its unfair. Also, we're looking at a new TV this evening. Our TV is about to go tits up I'm sure. It was bought in the early 90s, its a 27in CRT TV. The color is going, the picture gets cut off. It makes watching TV miserable. But anyway, I'm crunching numbers thinking about where my money goes each month and I gotta say that the little purchases just eat up ALL the money.

BUT where all this comes from is me thinking about how I plan for things. I plan for things that are unknown in the future, but I realized I stopped paying attention to the important things that NEED done. I've put alot of thought into it and I realized that by prioritizing and planning everything going on around me everything will come together like a puzzle. It made me think about what I've heard alot of you guys say: Its not a hobby, its a way of life. When it boils down, I was treating prepping like a hobby. I was doing that and not understanding why I felt like I wasn't making any progress.

I've crunched my total debt. Its way more than a person my age should have. I've crunched may monthly income vs. my monthly costs. We make more than we spend so that means we should be packing up some extra money.

SO drawing all of this together and a reason why I bothered to write any of this. Here is where my wife and I are at currently: Too much debt and no plan to fix it and no goal to accomplish it. We always talk about planning and setting goals to make progress with our skills, stockpiles, and supplies. Here I am with no goal and no plan and a huge lingering problem. I don't like feeling lost or unprepared, that is why I do what I do.



Conclusion: I don't know where I was going with it all and it was terribly written. I apologize to everyone for it. BUT no plan and no goal means no progress and integrate prepping into your day-to-day life or both will feel unfulfilled. Finally, I'm probably buying a TV.

Project Appleseed

There is a Project Appleseed weekend in Chambersburg Sept. 8 & 9.
Men: $70 for the weekend including $10 registration fee.
Women: FREE weekend with $10 registration fee.
Youth: FREE weekend with $5 registration fee.

Anyone ever attend Project Appleseed? I really want to go, but I want some feedback before I spend the money. I know ITRH podcast talks a lot about them and I think that they've both attended. But anyway, anyone else every attend? Chambersburg is just a hop away from me and I would like to take the wife.

Week In Review

Well, we're almost back to normal. Its been a pretty standard week. I've been taking a few medical problems I've been having and I'm going to start taking care of them. I recently listened to a podcast called In The Rabbit Hole (ITRH), which is a fantastic podcast. They're very tasteful, not overly paranoid, and they make tons of good points. But anyway, the episode was called "Survival CHI". At first glance I thought it was stupid but it played over my stereo at work and it was actually pretty enlightening. 

Community

Health

Intelligence

Yeah, not as stupid as it sounds, right? I'm working on my community. I'm getting a few locals on my Facebook and that's great. However, Health, not my strong point. I'm feeling good about myself, but I know there are some things I need to fix. I'm working on them but some I actually need to see a doctor to have it looked at. My ankle has been killing me for the past couple weeks, but its been hurting for several months. I am bullheaded enough to just go through with the pain. It is starting to effect my work and that's not good at all. So its time to start making the changes. I have insurance, so why not? 

This week Panzer graduated from his basic obedience training with flying colors. We're very proud of him. In September he'll move on to his next course. We have been looking into his bug out gear. That stuff is expensive. A pack for a dog is just as much as a backpack for a human. That's ridiculous. But what is more important is that its there. Port-a-bowls are also pretty nifty too. We may end up buying his gear soon. 

He doesn't like hats. 

Friday night we weeded out the garden because we really fear we’re not going to get a harvest from it. Though as we were weeding it out we found that our tomato plants actually are starting to bear fruit. So we narrowed out the whole garden and we’re down to four tomato plants and two green pepper plants. The gardens at the bug out locations produced HUGE amounts for harvest. The zucchini are averaging just shy of a foot long. We’re waiting on the cucumbers and some other things. We lost our green beans and lettuce in our garden, we lost the green beans because of a lack of light. We lost the lettuce because it seeded too quickly. The four lettuce plants were giant. But we waited to long to harvest. We lost two cilantro plants, but no matter what we lost, we made it grew something from seed to fruit. I’m still impressed we did it. Now with that in mind, since then I have been thinking about how I want to build my first green house and I’ve come up with the first plans that include the materials and even the cut list. It is unknown what we are going to grow but I know how I want to build a nice greenhouse. With the greenhouse I’m coming up with plans to build a rain catcher so we are going to have water right beside greenhouse. THAT made me think even more about it. I’ve decided that I want to incorporate the rain catcher and the greenhouse. …I’ll post a picture when the blueprints (…I guess) when they are completely done. VERY excited. 

Finally, I may be making a purchase I've been wanting to make soon. Hopefully, I'll be buying my thigh rig soon. I'm hoping to buy my thigh rig and a few pouches. Also, completely unrelated to prepping or ANY of this for that matter, the wife and I decided that for Christmas we decided to abandon the typical Christmas garbage we decided we're going to buy ourselves a nice TV. I'm very excited that we can finally get rid of failing 27 inch CRT TV sitting on the odd rolling thing its sitting on. The important part to all this is: I get to build a TV stand and I know exactly what I'm building. Again, this is completely unrelated but here is the picture!

Enjoy your french toast.

So I don't really know how to start this. Something has been bugging me and it has to do with the general public. Why is it when I mention that I prep the general public gives me a look like I said that I store dead bodies? Usually though at the end of the conversation it ends with "Well I know where to go if something bad ever happens..." Well, thats pretty unfair. First, you look at me like I'm a serial killer, then you just go ahead and invite yourself if you ever need help?

My other big problem is, I'm a bigger fellow. When I explain what I do people look at me like bigger folks don't stand a chance. Its as if, if your skinny you're obviously going to survive anything, you can run forever, and you'll always be ready to move. I'm a big guy and if I have to, I can move. There are people that can vouch for that. I'm mathematical, always prioritizing and calculating, and I have a decent head on my shoulders. Lets also not forget that I have some extra fat stored away so I'm not a skeleton in 2 weeks if something bad should happen.

Why is our lifestyle/hobby so scary to people? Why so quick to make a judgement about me if I clearly am not a fanatic? I've watched Doomsday Preppers, its really just fun to watch. I don't want to be like some of those people. Most have forgotten that they still have today. They only live to survive the future. I work a normal job, have a wife and a puppy, I go out to the movies, I go to the range, I clean my house, read comic books, play video games, and watch TV. But if you open the door to my spare bedroom you'll see 2 shelving units of organized, stockpiled food, and a few boxes with inventory lists on.

Really what I'm trying to figure out is: Why is the idea of what we do so frightening to "normal people"?

Some of my family think I've dove into the deep-end preparing for the "zombie apocalypse" stockpiling MREs, guns, ammo, and band-aids. When they've never asked why I do what I do, what I'm actually afraid of, or any question that involves bringing the subject up. Its pretty scary to think that I'm simply doing what my great, great grandparents did. To most people we're insane but they don't realize that insanity is rushing out the grocery store to buy milk, bread, and eggs when snow might be coming. Those people don't plan and when something bad may happen they LOSE their minds.

Enjoy your french toast.

For the record, those people that I just described are the relatives that think that I'M the crazy one.

Wishlist v2.0

I’ve decided to abandon my last wishlist. I think since I wrote that I’ve matured a little bit, and saw the true flaws in my stockpiling. The cooking issue needs to be addressed quickly and a few other things need to be taken into heavy consideration. So, without further delay, I present Wishlist v2.0:
 
1. Camp Stove
2. Additional Propane cylinders
3. 2 Walther P22 magazines
4. Gloves
5. Kneepads
6. 2 poly camp sporks
7. Duct Tape (I have zero, and it is incredibly useful.)
8. Food Saver
9. Additional Ammo (.22, 7.62x39, & 12 Gauge)
10. 10-round SKS magazines

I say I matured a little because a few of the things I really wanted were more for looks than truly helpful. There are still a few things on my list that were on v1.0 but I’ve removed some things that were far less important to make room for the crucial. And we all my field trips I’ve found the cheapest places for some of this stuff.

Also, if anyone has access to Sam’s Club, I’d like to know if they have camping equipment available. I know they do at BJ’s. I’m pricing stuff there this weekend, probably. I’m also hoping for a successful pirate raid (Flea market) this weekend. But it looks like its calling for rain, so I may not get to. Around this time of year people start dumping all their camping gear to make room in their garages and such. I might be able to pick up a nice stove for a couple bucks. If anyone has any thoughts about things I should change on my list, please let me know. I’m still new with the whole thing and I’m trying to make proper decisions, but the kid in my brain keeps coming out wanting to play army man and telling me I need silly shit.

Week In Review

Well, I still have not gotten back to normal. I've been doing research and putting some things into perspective.

I'm further disappointing myself with my lack of motivation and drive. I'm hoping to reestablish my balance soon. I think I went from nothing to everything as fast as I could and just burned myself out. I'm feeling progressively shittier about myself. I have ever intention of changing that. I know these are not the things you'd like to hear but I'd rather say how it really is than lie to make myself feel better.

Phase 2 has come to an end. The plants have grown a lot, don't get me wrong but they bear nothing. However, I will say that through this process I have learned an incredible amount. Also, if nothing else, we've also made plans for a spring crops and started making plans for 2 to 3 different greenhouses at possible bug-out locations. Talking with friends who are in the process of buying their first house, we've decided to work together and put in some crops of all kinds at their place as long as everything comes together nicely.

Stockpiling is moving along, previously I've inventoried my food stuffs and it was pretty pitiful. I've assessed my current situation and made a budget plan to continue stockpiling without breaking the bank. I have a list of financial goals that I've set for the next 6 months. My first is to take care of two guys that have graciously ignored my debt to them. While not much I feel its only proper to take care of them first.

In the next two weeks I'll be purchasing a stove and some extra propane bottles so i can test them and learn to work with them so its not brand new when I have to use them. Thanks to my mom and dad I've added some ammo and a few other things to the collection. They gave me some kick-ass birthday gifts.

The next thing is a little weird but I felt it needed to be done. In a lot of books I've been reading I constantly read "you get what you put in" when it comes to your body. I needed to know how much of that was truth and how long it would take before you saw results. Well, I did it and needless to say its true. Very true. This week I went and ate what I wanted and just lived a really relaxed life. There was zero gym time, shitty diet, no vitamins, and lots of tv time. It took 2 days to start to see results. Fatigue, short attention span, and making mistakes constantly. Monday through Friday I just did what i wanted. By Wednesday I was a little tired, sluggish, a little cranky, and catching mistakes left and right. It went downhill from there. By Friday I was back to feeling tired by 10:00am, I was making mistakes constantly, my already short fuse had decreased substantially, (just noting this) zero sex drive, very sluggish, nodding off, and absolutely zero motivation. When SHTF a balanced diet and exercise must become mandatory or you will not survive. It took two days to feel the effects for just going to a manual labor job that doesn't take much thinking just alot of doing, think about how it would effect you if you have to fight to stay alive. That experiment is done. The alarms are reset on my phone to remind me to take my vitamins and supplements. I'll be reestablishing contact with gym buddies to go back.

Finally, I'm working on a plan for a bug in/bug out weekend. I don't know who would be interested in participating in my area but it would be a great way to see how your gear and you would handle it. I'm thinking what I'll do is take half a dozen scenarios and put them into a hat and draw one with everyone participating watching on a Friday night and see how far we can go before realizing we're unprepared. I plan on taking notes all the time so I can review them later to make proper changes.

Thats all for now. I know I ask alot of advice from everyone but, I really need some advice now. I've lost drive and motivation. I need to get back into it. Anyone have any ideas?

Pre-Fall Inventory

Well, I finally got the time to inventory my stockpiled food in the room. I would have gone further but I was disappointed enough that I stopped to decide how to proceed. I have found my obvious problems. But lets start with the rough list of food, this is going to by WAY shorter than you'd think. Here we go!

(2) bx - Mac & Cheese
(12) pk - Roman Noodles
(7) bx - Noodles
(14) can - Chef Boyardee - Pull top
(2) can - Chicken Noodle Soup
(1) can - Green beans
(16) can - Mixed Fruit
(2) cans - Dinty Moore stew
(1) jar - Jelly
(1) can - Bread Crumbs
(2) btl - Ketchup
(1) btl - BBQ sauce

Yup, thats it. That is everything food wise stocked in the room. That doesn't include in the kitchen.

Problem number 2! In the case that the power is out I'm boned. Something I overlooked in the beginning was the ability to cook. I have my grill to cook on, sure. However, I don't have anything to cook with inside. The best I can do is use my FONDUE POT! Yeah, I own one, don't judge. The thing about that is: I only have 3 fuel canisters to heat with AND I also don't know if you can get water to boil using a canister like that. That will be looked in to, however, I'll be buying a camp grill and some extra bottles of propane.

I'll be working on inventorying the non-food side of my stockpiled gear.

Also, as far as this goes, its time to take a new approach to this. I'm also going to set some new goals. Expect that post in the next 24 hours along with some other stuff.

Month in review!

Yeah, I'm sorry guys. I've been incredibly busy. Its been a crazy month.

First, we have a new addition to family. Meet Panzer! He is a year and half old. Hes a mix some Pitbull, Jack Russel, and some other stuff. We're in our 4th week of obiedence training. We're in the process of getting the "Good Citizen" award.

...I've also been looking a doggie bug-out-bag.

He knows Sit, Stay, Down, Quiet, and he knows Loose leash walking.  He is completely non-aggressive and is so friendly its scary.

I've also been working on the apartment! I've made some big changes to the house. Well, first I started by going to the doctor and getting checked out for Sleep Apnea. Guess who almost dies multiple times every night? Yeah, you guessed it! Me! So with my CPAP machine I sleep complete silent at night and the wife is able to abandon her small bedroom!

After a few trips to walmart and a couple places we came home with some new gear!

After it was all built, I started organizing all my gear to it was centralized and I can keep track of everything easier. Its all getting better organized and coming together wonderfully.

Then at the beginning of August we went on a family vacation to the beach. My paranoia was pretty calm most of the time. I was in Delaware which is a state that doesn't honor Pennsylvania concealed permits. Its fine though, we kept it unloaded and broken down. But having it near by was enough to keep peace of mind. In my bag, I had my shemagh, multi-tool, and lighter in a gallon freezer bag. I wasn't the best I could do but it was better than nothing. Luckily, nothing happened. It was a flawless trip.

On the return day I went to Barnes and Noble and bought The Building a Bug Out Bag book. I'm about half way through. I'm enjoying it so far. I'll have the review done soon. Hopefully I'll write it tomorrow.

Hopefully, I'll take care of that AND I'll finish my Pre-Fall Inventory. On sunday, I hope I can pick up a few 3 gallon refillable water jugs with the spigot for the room. I've already made room on the shelves.

Well thats all for now. Thats really been for this month. I'll get back to my weekly updates. Thanks everyone for being patient!

Week In Review

I believe that is what I'll start calling these posts.

This week was quite the week. Monday started with the loss of 6 of 15 lbs. It basically made my week from there on out. Wednesday, we got the remainder of the Phase 2 seedlings into the ground at a secondary bug-out location.

Speaking of Phase 2, this weekend my wife and I decided we will be planning a Phase 2 upgrade next year. We will build a full-on greenhouse next spring at a secondary bug-out location. The current Phase 2 is going through its first expansion this week. We got 2 extra pots that we're going to move the tomatoes to and free up some space for the carrots. We're also giving away a few of the squash and zucchini plants. we don't want them to get root bound and kill off the other plants. We really did not expect the survival ratio of the seedlings to be so high. I think we'll use the same method next year. Hopefully it will be the same success rate.

I did not get to do my training exercise this weekend. I will do it this Saturday. I'll post the briefing this week. I did get to do the field trip to Cabela's but I didn't get to do my weekly Pirate Raid (Flea Marketing). So really I didn't expand my gear at all.

I spent a little time at Barnes and Noble this evening. I've found two books I think I'll be purchasing this week. More so Preserving Food book. I'll be getting the Dehydrator Tuesday evening.

Its going to be a busy week this week so other than my Conditioning: Day 14 post and the Training Exercise Briefing, it may be a quiet week from me. Hopefully I can make some extra time. Hopefully, this week will be as nice as last week.

OH! Finally, at some point this weekend I hit 200+ page views. Thank you to everyone that is reading. I appreciate the feed back and seeing the hits I get it keeps me focused on it and keeps the morale up. Thank you again!

Field Trip: Cabela's

So I've been going to all these outdoors places and have been enjoying it. Cabela's was the last on my list. Fortunately, I'm only an hour and a few minutes from one. So after a good breakfast we took off. It was myself, my wife, my mom, and my pop. He's a hunter and he loves going to these places. My wife has been getting on me for going to these places without her. My mom? She's just along for the ride.

Now, again, like Bass Pro, I knew this place was going to be big. HOWEVER, this place makes Bass Pro look medium. It was an absolute trip to walk around this place. I must note that it was a lot like Noah's Arc. There were 2 of every animal...dead and stuffed.

I found a handful of really cool stuff. They have a big selection of camping stuff which with some modifications makes for great prepper gear. The pack selection however was a little lacking. The restaurant made the entire place smell incredible. I spent a lot of time in the food preserving section checking out the food savers and dehydrators. I've come to realize now that they were commercial models, not really a medium-sized apartment model. I also got to spend some time with the wife in the ammo section. I have to say that Cabela's has one of the largest selections of ammo I've seen and its all at fantastic prices. I found tons of ammo I've been looking for that I've been buying at Walmart (ugh...) for half the price I've been paying. Oh, the last thing I want to mention is the gun selection. Its not too often I'll say this, but it was so big it was overwhelming. I could have easily spent hours just in the guns.

BUT I need to point out a few things that were irritating. Everything I picked up that was excited to see was marked up 15% or so. I guess with presentation comes price hikes. I didn't look at any of the gun prices but I'm sure they were marked up as well. We did find a nice Taurus .38 for a good price but the line to ask about guns was a 20-30 minute wait. I wasn't interested in standing around when there was so much to see.

If you live near one, or a little drive away, its completely worth going. Don't go with a grocery list of things. You will find all of them (unless you're looking for tactical gear) and you'll want to buy it all but you'll pay way more than you should. If nothing else, its worth going in to see the presentation.


Also, there was a Five Guys a block away where we ate lunch. Five Guys makes everything awesome.

Phase 3: Conditioning Day 7

Alright so its now been a full week since the first post.

Weight: 338 lbs. (that's a loss of 6 lbs!)
Height: 5'11"
Shirt: XXL
Neck: 19
Pants: 44-46
Boot: 13

Mile Time Average: 9.5 Minutes
Average Miles/Night: 2 Mile
Leg Press: 290 lbs
Calf Extension: 200 lbs
 
Originally I wanted to lose 15 lbs by August 1. If next week I've shed another 5 or 6 pounds, I'm going to up it to 20. If I can keep that pace, maybe even 25. i don't want to throw my body into shock so I need to be very careful. I would be so happy to see that kind of lose though. I just don't want to set the bar too high and feel like a failure even though I've made great progress. Here are the goals as they stand now:

1. By August 1, 2012 lose 15 lbs. (We're almost half way there!)
2. Run an average 8 minute mile (Slowly getting there.)
3. Run 3 miles 3 times/week (averaging 2 miles/3 times a week)

I've continued my regiment but changing the times so they are more effective. I'm even debating adding some antioxidants to the supplements to boost my immune system.

0500 - Vitamin & Hydroxycut
1100 - Hydroxycut
1500 - Hydroxycut

I will be constantly monitoring my feelings and actions as I continue taking them. I'm happy that they are working but i do not want to get overly aggressive and I surely don't want to hurt my kidneys.

Originally, I was very unhappy with my performance and that stands. But it has been a bit of a morale boost in seeing some positive change. I couldn't have been happier to see the numbers change. Seeming the change has definitely boosted my morale and is pushing me to work harder and I will.

End of the Weekend Update

Well it was a pretty uneventful weekend. I got to spend some time with some good friends DF and EF. I took them down to Atlantic Tactical. I got some better ideas for gear, however I am not rich, and probably won't suddenly become rich so the things I really WANT I won't be able to buy for a while.

However, I've taken the focus off gear and started focusing on food preserving and physical training. This weekend I blew my whole schedule. I missed Friday's gym day. So I will make it up this week. I am determined to lose some weight and get myself conditioned. But on the food preserving front, the garden looks AWESOME, everything is growing so well. Nothing is bearing stuff yet but it looks great. The best news of the weekend is that I'll be getting a dehydrator and a mandolin slicer for free this week. Its old, but it works. So, Monday I'm going to Giant and buying up some apples. I want to make dehydrated apple slices and maybe some other stuff.

That's really it for the weekend. Next weekend is supposed to be the monthly training exercise. I just don't know what to do. I'm thinking maybe going to the gym and doing a big run. I don't know though. Comment if you have any ideas, I need them! 

Prepping for Vacation

I’ve been thinking about all the people going on vacation and what some of us might do to prep to go on our own vacation. If you’re headed to the beach, what should you prepare for? The biggest concern is severe weather. With Severe weather you suddenly have thousands trying to evacuate or seeking shelter. You’re going to see a clean water shortage, food shortage, stealing, looting, confusion, and overall panic.
From where I am it takes about 3 ∏ hours to drive to the beach. So where do we start if we’re going to drive to the beach? Frankly, I don’t even know if this is right and I’m sure it will change as we go on.
 
1.       Assess the vehicle.
a.       When was the oil changed last?
b.      How are the tires?
c.       Everything legal?
d.      All lights work?
e.      How is the spare?
f.        Do you have an atlas? GPS?

2.       What kind of prep gear should we take?
a.       How many people will be in the vehicle?
b.      Are they like minded? Will they have their own gear?
c.       What kind of kit should be on hand?

3.       Any special information?
a.       If you have a concealed permit, is it respected where you’re going?
           i.      If not, do you have an alternative defense?
b.      How well do you know the area? Can you navigate easily?

Writing that list made me panic a little over a couple things. Thinking about my vehicle, everything is good except for one thing. My car doesn’t have a spare. I have a plug in car compressor/fix-a-flat. There is one thing that good about that, without a spare there I have an extra space under the trunk floor for storing stuff.
There would probably be two people in the vehicle. My wife is starting to come around to the prepper side. She’s big into gardening and she’s learning how to shoot. We’ll work on her gear once she’s ready. She’ll be way easier to shop for because she is a normal person size. I can go anywhere and get her gear, while I have to search and special order for my stuff.  So she has some gear with her. I’m not sure what kind of kit I would keep on hand but I want It to be hidden if possible.
 
So now, what all is in my vehicle?
1.       (2) Emergency bags
2.       (1) First Aid Kit
3.       Emergency water supply
4.       Vehicle Tool Bag
5.       Power Inverter
6.       GPS Unit

I think that is a pretty good start. Its all concealable and completely legal. 

With that being said, remember as a prepper to always obey the law. If you don’t, and you get caught, Its going to make it so much harder to prep properly.

Last couple things to do are check on the forum to see if my concealed permit is valid in my out of state destination. I know as someone who has a permit for Pennsylvania: Maryland, Delaware, New York, and New Jersey do NOT honor Pennsylvania permits. IF you pass through one of those states, make sure you weapon is taken apart properly and the ammo is separated.

Phase 3: Conditioning Day 1

Well well well, what an awful way to start. I'm gonna be brutally honest about myself.
Here is a spot-on physical description of me:

Weight: 344 lbs (according to the PF scale that seems to be calibrated correctly)

Height: 5'11"
Shirt: XXL
Neck: 19
Pants: 44-46
Boot: 13

Mile Time Average: 10 Minutes
Average Miles/Night: 2 Mile
Leg Press: 290 lbs
Calf Extension: 200 lbs
 
I am built like a hunk of shit. My goals will remain the same for now except for number 3. 
I would like to eventually change number 1, if I can start to lose weight, I'd like to up it to 20 lbs. However, I feel like 20 pounds in a month is too ambitious and may not be healthy.

1. By August 1, 2012 lose 15 lbs. 
2. Run an average 8 minute mile
3. Run 2 Miles 3 times/week will now be Run 3 miles 3 times/week

I will continue my regiment of Hydroxycut and Vitamins, I have alarms set so that I take it at proper times.

Tomorrow will be the first Range Day for Phase 3 with CD and a friend. I'll be focusing on pistol shooting at 8-10 paces as defensive shooting. I may add another night of the gym tomorrow.

But over all, I am very unhappy with my current physical description. Ultimately, I would like 100 lbs and maybe more. I think for my built 240 wouldn't be so bad as long as I was muscle and not fat. But that is a very long term goal.

In conclusion, I'm a flabby hunk of putty that would easily get run down by a fresh zombie. I'd make for a good meal, but I'm not looking to be a Z's dinner. I'm going to make some serious physical changes. 

Phase 3: Conditioning

 I'm starting my conditioning tomorrow. I've thought long and hard about how I want to approach my conditioning. Since I am not military I don't constantly have to stay in shape for drill and whatnot. So this is all on my own.

I started my research with affective supplements. I'm sticking with what I'm taking now until I run out then we'll switch over. Right now, I'm taking a daily dose of GNC Men's Sport: Energy and Metabolism. I also take 2 doses of Hydroxycut: Hardcore. It seems to work. I'm going to stick with it.

Along with the supplements, I'll start my gym regiment again. However, I'm going to make a few minor tweaks. I'm looking to lose some of my gut, so a few pre-run exercises to help burn up some fat.


Here are my goals: 
1. Work on a 8-9 minute mile to start. 
2. Do a 2 mile run 3 nights a week. Maybe more. 
3. Lose 10-15 lbs by the end of July.

Also, I'm going to start shooting at least once a week. It may only be 50 rounds of so, but I'm going to start focusing on close quarters pistol shooting.

I don't really have goals for shooting at the moment, but I'm sure they'll be coming when I start seeing where I am falling short.

That's it for now. Once I do a week of this, I'm going to revise my goals depending on my feelings. Its either stay the same OR make tougher goals.

Bug-Out-Bag v1.0 List

Taking some time this afternoon, I've completed my Bug-Out-Bag v1.0 (72-hour, general purpose). I'm sure after rigorous testing, it will change, of that I'm sure.


This is actually going to be broken up into three parts: Drop Holster, Pack, and Personal Gear (clothing)

For your consideration, I present to you BOB v1.0

Personal Gear:
1. Pant
2. T-Shirt
3. Socks
4. Underwear
5. Over-shirt (Polo, probably)
6. Shemagh
7. Belt
8. Suspenders
9. Operator's Cap
10. Boots
11. Gloves
12. Knee pads

Drop Holster:
1. Pistol
2. Multi-tool
3. (2) spare magazines
4. Flashlight
5. (2) Pair latex gloves

Pack: 
1. 350 .22 caliber rounds
2. (2) Knives
3. Head Lamp
4. (8) AAA Batteries
5. First Aid Kit
6. (4) Light Sticks
7. (4) Fire Starters
8. Matches/Lighter
9. Toiletries w/ waterproof box
10. Sheet
11. Hand Towel
12. Two-Way Radio
13. Dynamo Radio w/ USB charger
14. 50 ft. Rope
15. 100 ft. Paracord
16. Fishing Kit
17. (2) 2-quart Canteens
18. Full Set of Clothes w/ extra pair of socks
19. Food Preparations (5 Meals) w/ Essentials
20. Literature (SAS Survival Handbook, Prepper's Pocket Guide)
21. Hatchet
22. Tech

When the new bag arrives I'm going to put it all together and post the total weight of the pack.

Review: SAS Survival Handbook

S.A.S. Survival Handbook
Written by John "Lofty" Wiseman

So this took me way longer to read over (I'm still not done...) than the Prepper's Guide. And every minute was worth it.

Start with the contents. I'm just going to list a few of the majors, literally, just a few. There is SO much information in this book and its presented so well. This book covers every notable terrain and tips on how to survival and traverse on all of it. There is a full chapter on health and field first aid. It covers a lot of things that most others don't cover. There are color illustrations of poisonous snakes, dangerous sea life, edible plants, and poisonous plants. It always has illustrations of knot tying and repelling techniques. It has a full chapter on water collection methods including illustrations so its easier to understand. Not only water collection, but a full chapter of animal hunting, tracking, and identifying. Also, tips for avoiding animal attacks. On top of all the best information I've found in here, he's even included sample survival kits, not full on bug out bags, but survival kits for in your vehicle.

This is presented in a manor that everyone can understand, HOWEVER, it is a handbook, a manual. It is dry, it is pure information. And, literally, that is only thing I can say is a con to this book. I really tried to find something bad about it, but it may be one of the best books you can own. And you should. I cannot praise this book enough. Spend $12.00, it doesn't defeat all books but you really cut down on the literature you should have with all of the knowledge crammed into this.

No, really, you should/need to own this book if you don't. Here are the links to get it:
Amazon.com
Barnesandnoble.com
Apple.com - iPhone app (...Because I think tech is important.)

6 out of 5 - This is essential for every prepper, survivalist, and homesteader.



I can't praise "Lofty" enough for his work here.

Just a mid-week update

I ran into a guy outside of a local Giant wearing a pack that I've been searching for. I politely asked him wear he got it, and thus I have discovered Ranger Joes. I'll be placing an order soon with my new pack, operator's cap, and maybe a name tape (I always wanted one.).
This is the pack.
This is the cap.

So from the Wishlist v1.0 I can cross off suspenders. As odd as it sounds they are incredibly comfortable and I spend WAY less time yanking my pants up. I think it's been a well spend 8 dollars.

While I've had some free time this week, I've taken the time to make a list of goals for myself. It sounds fairly childish, but I've set a pile of reachable short term goals and a pile of tougher long term goals. I'll post them later this week, my notepad is still in my car.

Finally, I've taken great notice in my physical aches. I'm not sure what is actually going on. Recently, my ankle has been popping and really is just not comfortable in the least. I've also taken notice my knees feeling tight. I've decided that it is time to head back to the gym and take care of myself. I'm 25 yet I'm feeling 50.

That really is all for now. I feel a post tomorrow coming, maybe two.


Also, if you've never looked:
Check out: www.RangerJoes.com

What's To Come...

Recently, I've been doing a lot of thinking about where I'm headed and how fast I want to get there. I've determined that I'm am not moving fast enough in an organized manner. I've been working on a regiment for weeks to get myself into shape, get organized, and maximize my time. Frankly, I need take better care of myself. I'd like to get down to a reasonable weight so I can get the clothes I've been looking at. I'm also going to start working on my shooting. I'm excited to get a little militaristic about my time. Set times, schedules, and keep myself on track.

On top of that, I'm going to schedule time to work on this. Field trips and especially training exercises. However, I do need some ideas. I want to get more active. At the end of the summer/fall, I'm going back to Flat Rock and I will be proud of myself.

That is a goal for me. I disappointed myself with my inabilities on that trip. I will redeem myself.

Phase 2: Stage 3

Phase 2 is going well. The germination process (Stage 2) worked wonderfully. Quite a few got real big real fast so we bumped the timeline. On top of that the materials I wanted were not available.

However, even with all the bumps and stops, we managed to put this together and made it look pretty nice. From the ground you can't really see it so its fairly hidden.

Finally, we had 72 plants to germinate. Of the 72, 5 did not make it. Its gotten hot the past couple days and I guess I didn't water them enough. I have decided to plant a secondary garden at one of the fall back bug-out locations. I'll be transporting the remainder of the plants Wednesday and hopefully get them planted Saturday afternoon.

Field Trip: Atlantic Tactical

This is going to be short. GPS is not correct on the building so, if you're using a TomTom you will end up in a gentleman's driveway that is not fond of strangers. A quick look at Google Earth/iPhone Maps shows a clear way there.

Holy crap. This place is cool. It doesn't have the same shock and awe that Bass Pro has, but it is cool. Atlantic Tactical is directed towards police, soldiers, and I would have to expect private military types.

They deal in clothes, uniforms, flashlights, body armor, bags, handguns, rifles, shotguns, and so much other stuff. They are big in 5.11 Tactical. If there is some tact gear you want, its probably in there, or they can get a hold of it for you.

So here is the story, we (CD and I) left home about 2:00pm with an expected drive time of 30 minutes. However, after the first paragraph you'll see that it took longer than "expected". We didn't arrive until 2:45pm. Not so bad right? Wrong. This where I'll talk about the bad things. Atlantic Tactical's hours of operation are awful. I can take a pretty good guess and say that most of their business is done via internet or phone orders. Turns out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, AT closes at 3:00pm. We had 15 minutes to look over the whole store, so there was no time to shock and awe.

Let's touch on a few other downsides to AT. Initially the prices seemed okay, however after really looking through it all its not great. Its all a little expensive. The service was nice. Both clerks were happy to talk to us and explain everything, however, trying to call them was impossible..."press 1 to blah, press 2 to blah blah" and never got a live person.


All in all, Atlantic Tactical was a great experience. It was great because I only spent 15 minutes there and am way too broke to be spending a bunch of money. If true tact gear is what you're after, then this place is where you want to go.

The plan is, as of right now, going Saturday morning to check it out all over again. I'll probably make another post after that. There are a few things I want to price and compare.

Wish List - v1.0

I decided that this weekend I'm going to finally make a my 72-Hour bag v1.0. This evening I sat down and wrote out all the things I'd like to have in it. Obviously, I kicked over a few things I don't have and should probably get a hold of. Here is Wish List v1.0:

1. 2 Walther P22 Magazines
2. Additional Ammo
3. Operator's Cap
4. 1 pair of suspenders
5. Military-style Belt
6. Assorted pouches
7. 50 ft. Rope
8. Knee Pads
9. Survival Style knife
10. Plastic spork

We'll focus on that list first.  If anyone has any thoughts or know where I can get this stuff at a good price, please let me know!

Initial Gear v1.0

While burning off the last of my energy I figured I would pull it all together so I actually see it. It looks like a lot but its not really much.

This is first time I've shown my gear publicly. It makes me feel good because after you see it, you have a degree of accomplishment.

Now what is not seen in this picture is my duffel bag, my standard tool kit with its own bag, all of my ammo, my gun cleaning kit, and my stockpiled food. I'm sure there are other things as well. None of my tech is shown in here either.

I guess once i really get to lay it all out and look at it, I can clearly see what needs replaced and what doesn't.

Oh down in the lower right hand corner there is an assortment of county maps so if we can't use tech we can still navigate. My wife also bought a full roll of Caution: Biohazard tape. That is dead center at the top.

Final thought, this is going to be ever changing. But I think I have most of important things covered.

Field Trip: Bass Pro Shop

This is going to be super quick, it probably won't even be worth reading but I have to express my feelings about this.

I decided early in the afternoon yesterday that I was going to go on an adventure. I ended up at Bass Pro with a couple friends. I was told it was big. I underestimated what that meant. The place was huge and packed with stuff. It had a turnstile like you were about to get on a roller coaster or something at the front door.

I found everything I could ever want in there, unfortunately in comparison to Gander Mountain almost everything was more expensive by a few dollars. When your on a tight budget and trying to prep a few dollars is a lot.

The camping/hiking section is incredible. They have just about everything you could want. However, the pack selection wasn't as good as I was hoping for. On the same note, there is a huge gun selection, but nothing of actual interest. It seemed to be all run of the mill guns. The archery and fishing sections were also amazing with very knowledgeable staff. The last part was very important, we had just come from Gander Mountain. The staff there was not knowledgeable at all except for the guys in the back with the guns. They knew tons, and were incredible patient. I waited about 5 to 7 minutes before someone noticed me in the fishing section looking puzzled. It took almost 10 minutes for that guy to find someone who knew anything about fishing. That was frustrating to say the least.

Just a quick aside, when we were standing at the gun counter checking some stuff out, there was a gentleman looking for a new gun. The way he explained it made him sound like he had at least 1 already. That was incorrect. He's never owned one, never fired one, knows SOME terminology, and has the money to throw at it. It turns out he is looking for a home defense weapon. He immediately points out a Mossberg 500 standard. it has a 22 or 24 inch barrel on it. We all had to kindly explain why a shotgun that long would not do well in a close quarters situation. He then turned to a Sig 380. He thought it was too small and didn't seem intimidating enough for home defense. Finally settling on a very nice .38 special, the guy behind the counter explains that that particular model can come with a laser. I can't make the next part up, he asked this: "What does the laser do? Burn their skin?" I assumed he was being funny, he wasn't. He was dead serious.

Anyway, enough with Gander. Bass Pro is giant, its a trip to walk around in and definitely something everyone who enjoys outdoors stuff should experience. However, everything is overpriced, they don't seem to carry any kind of tactical gear, and if you're headed in there, make sure you have a couple hours to burn.

Bug Out Research and Development

Currently, like I have said in the past couple posts, I have concluded that I am under prepared. I'm compiling a list of link to information. Maybe someone else will find these things helpful. I know I'm going to take it all into consideration.

http://survivalcache.com/bug-out-bag/


http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?121221-Here-s-a-good-bug-out-bag-list


http://www.modernbushman.com/2012/04/03/vehicle-bug-out-bag-aka-b-o-b-packing-list-to-get-you-home/


http://www.bugoutsurvival.com/2008/08/sample-bug-out-bag-checklist.html

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CKIBEBYwAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzombiehunters.org%2Fflyer%2FZS-bob-trifold.pdf&ei=blTVT6KGJuOJ6gGe5OybAw&usg=AFQjCNHZ0Pd1pxRn3_5N9X-K32775I7f6g&sig2=lqB5MNieH7_PlU5gY29idQ


http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f32/bug-out-guide-checklist-5637/

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CLUBEBYwCA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prepperforums.net%2FFull-Size-Bug-Out-Bag-Checklist.pdf&ei=blTVT6KGJuOJ6gGe5OybAw&usg=AFQjCNFG7-FRMytbqTMVR00ux4tfdnauXQ&sig2=d8o5Y-6DUHXZPbxUM4_1rA


http://www.survivaltipsandtricks.com/the-bug-out-bag-resource-list-covering-the-best-sources-online/

Tons of great stuff out there is poke around. However, there are a lot of people out there that go a little overboard. You can agree with that or not, that's up to you. You can never be too prepared... I believe you can be. Some people that write some of this stuff are people that are so afraid of the future that they've forgotten to enjoy today. We need to remember that.

After all the research is done, I'm going to put together proper B.O.B. v1.0. I would like to have a pretty good list by the end of the week.

Phase 2: The explaination

I just finished writing my final thoughts on today and I mentioned Phase 2. I never explained that and I certainly don't want it to sound shady. So let me explain.

Phase 2:
Phase 2 is my "Urban Gardening" experiment. I would like to make sure I know how to grow fruits and veggies. Phase 2's space is about 2 feet wide by 6 feet long and 3 feet tall. It is a third story porch that gets decent natural light. I am continuing to study and gain as much knowledge about gardening as possible. I still have many questions about the whole process. Did you know that the ground has a pH? Furthermore, did you know that pH is incredibly important for some plants? Yeah, Neither did I.

Phase 2 - Stage 1 - Research and development
To maximize my area I'll start with 2 2-foot troughs, 2 large pots, and 6 hanging coffee cans on the banister.
I decided I would start with the standard plants:
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Green beans
Strawberries
Squash

 Phase 2 - Stage 2 - Germination. (Current stage)
We kicked over a 2-pack greenhouse kit for $20 at BJ's Wholesale. As of 06/08/2012 72 plants are in the process of germination. I really only expect half to survive. After germination I'll transplant them into troughs, hanging cans, and pots for the heavy plants. Its only been a day so there is no progress. After typing that I have not planned on having a higher survival rate. I may have to do some extra R&D once I see progress.

Phase 2 - Stage 3 - Transplant
Once we get to this point it starts all over. I need to go back to the books and figure out where to go from there.

06/09/2012 - Training Exercise Final Thoughts

Assessing my current situation is something I feel I should have done a while ago. It wasn't until the first exercise that I realized how unorganized and under prepared I am. After today's experience I can be sure that this will be an on going Training Exercise and may turn into testing pieces to see how they hold up.

I would like to revisit this exercise in a month to see where I stand. I would like to have a solid 72 hour bag completed by then.

After Bug-Out-Bag V.1 is complete, I will disappear for a weekend to see how it holds up. I'm sure corrections will be made as it is all tested.

But for now, I am terribly under prepared. However, I have focused my attention to my three major things: 72-Hour bag, Phase 2, and food storage. All are progressing at a decent rate.

06/09/2012 - Training Exercise Debrief

Date: 06/09/2012
Exercise: Assess current bug-out situation
After the past few days of reflection on where I really am with all this, I am embarrassed to say that I am in fact UNDER prepared, if I can even say I am prepared at all.
Specifics: Assess, research, find, and price all the items for your 72-hour pack without firearms.  Weather: Predicted: Sunny, Hot
                 Actual: Sunny, Hot
 Involved: Myself (Civilian)


Report:
Assessment of equipment:
1. Civilian urban-style backpack - Insufficient. Needs replaced.
2. LED flashlight - Sufficient. Will need to carry extra batteries
3. 550 Cord - Sufficient.
4. Knives - Sufficient, HOWEVER, a larger survival knife is needed.
5. Headlamp - Sufficient.
6. First Aid Kit - Sufficient.


Research and Findings:
http://uncrate.com/stuff/equipment-bug-out-bag/ - This was sent to me by a friend who is also involved in all this. I think I could model my pack after this. I needs some changes but it's pretty universal.  

My next step was to decide where I could procure all my gear from. Just a quick list:

Dunham's Sporting goods - Could easily be used to get ammo, but that isn't what we set out to do. Wasn't overly helpful.

Dick's Sporting Goods - Lots of luck here. I found a plethora of gear and various prices that could easily be placed into categories like Good, Better, Best. I found a pack that I like that seems a little big, but well made and made for hiking. Its a simple pack with a light frame used for as a "Hiking Day Pack". Its a North Face pack and will run me $119.00. That is a little too high for me at the moment. I will continue to shop around.  Also found standard light sticks at $1.29 a piece. I don't really know if that is a good price or not. I will look into that as well.

Wal-Mart - I do NOT liking shopping here. I find that quantity is more important that quality and this is a quality situation. They have some packs, but I don't know how well they'll hold up. Also they carry camel backs and tons of camping gear. It seems that most of this gear is Coleman or off brand. Last time I checked Coleman was still a decent company.
Internet - Obviously, I can find everything I want on the internet at various prices. But by buying online I can not hold the object to know exactly what I'm getting which is a big con in this whole ordeal.


Pricing:
I originally wanted hard numbers at the end of the day. I have decided that may have been a silly ambition. To decided what my pack will include in just one day would be silly. But I did grab some prices for things I KNOW I want.

The exercise was a success. No one was injured. Total Time was around 4 hours. 
 

06/09/2012 - Training Excercise Briefing

(I wrote this last night but didn't publish it.)
Date: 06/09/2012
Exercise: Assess current bug-out situation
After the past few days of reflection on where I really am with all this, I am embarrassed to say that I am in fact UNDER prepared, if I can even say I am prepared at all.
Specifics: Assess, research, find, and price all the items for your 72-hour pack without firearms.  Weather: Predicted: Sunny, Hot

Review: Food Storage App

Food Storage App for the iPhone and iPad
By Long Term Glass Wares, LLC

I got the hit on this from a friend on Facebook, Bohica Survival. There is no clever naming of the app, there is no flashy crap, and zero advertisements.

This app is used to organize, plan, and prepare your food storage at home. I've played with it a bunch so far. It gives you the default food groups so you can add all of what you have already, set new goals, scan your barcodes, and set alerts when things go too low. It is a warehousing program.

If you are technology driven this is fantastic. If you would rather be pen and paper kind of person, then this isn't for you. This is super easy to use after you get used to it. Best of all, its total free.

The question was asked if it would work if the cell towers were down and the grid is down. The answer to those questions: Yes, this doesn't need to connect to the internet and If the grid is down and simple dynamo USB charger or a power inverter from a car battery will keep your device charged, that is if you choose to spend time making sure that stays running.

So when it comes to this, if you have an iPhone or iPad, this thing is free. You would be silly to not to atleast try it. Don't like it, delete it.

5 out of 5 - Easy to use, free, helpful, and it helps me organize information. 

The actual inventory

Over the past couple weeks I've been putting alot of thought into all of this and I decided that its going to be helpful to create a full inventory. 

Physical Inventory: 
Age: 25
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 330lbs.
Addictions: None - Maybe energy drinks.
Medications: Vitamin
Noted disabilities: Sleep Apnea.

So, lets break the first part down. I'm too fat. I'm enough muscle, but I am too big. A goal will be set for this. I will also add that my mindset is good. I am usually very happy. No noted mental illnesses. However some believe that I have a bit of paranoia. 

Gear Inventory:
1 Urban Backpack - Use as a 24 hour bug out bag.
1 Duffel bag - Use as a full-size long term bug out bag.
Tool Kit - Has most standard tools needed for everyday projects.
1 Crowbar
Assortment of knives - Mainly consists of what could be used as "fighting knives". No "survival style" knives
2 2-quart canteens with bags
1 First Aid kit
1 headlamp with LED white and LED red
1 LED flashlight
Matches
Batteries
6 first starters

With this, I mean, when I  break it all down I have alot of stuff but not a whole lot of it is useful. I will not mention actual weapons, ALL of my weapons are legal and registered. I also have an assortment of melee weapons. 

It is always important to obey the laws. If you do not obey the laws and get caught, it will make prepping much tougher than it already is. Follow the rules, do not buy unregistered or stolen firearms, do not manufacture any kind of explosives, do not possess anything that is illegal. Have all the proper licensing before purchasing a firearm. 

Food and Water Inventory:
2-3 weeks of food
No water containers

I feel that I have REALLY dropped the ball here. I don't think that my food prep is so bad, however, I have zero way of keeping water. This will be one of my next buys.  If you feel the same way about your preparations look into The Prepper's Pocket Guide. It has a section for budgeting for preppering supplies.  

Review: The Prepper's Pocket Guide

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do To Ready Your Home For A Disaster
Written by Bernie Carr

I had recently kicked this over at Barnes & Noble and in a thirst of knowledge scooped it up. Shelf price is gonna run you $12.95, online you'll save a couple dollars. I almost must point out that it says it's a pocket guide; it fits in a standard cargo pants thigh pocket.

Bernie sets this up by simple subjects with numbered headers. It starts with Getting Started that involves organizing and de-cluttering your home, planning, and easy things to do on a daily basis. The guide goes through that onto financial planning, procuring water, food, budgets, simple kits, and even recipes for home-made solutions such as water filters and disinfectant spray.

Bernie makes quite a few great points that after long nights and group conversations I would have never thought of. One of my favorite headers is under Chapter 3: Water Needs: 19. Learn to Empty Water Heater. Your home water heater could contain up to 30 gallons of clean drinkable water. I know you already know this but I'll reiterate, that's enough water for 3 people for 10 days with no additional space being taken up for preppering supplies.

Also, the writer makes lots of great points that aren't necessarily headers such as: Be selective about announcing your plans. Don't broadcast your activities or plans on social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook. While you may trust your friends and family, you don't always know who else may be checking you out online. Personally, I found that very simple statement to be incredibly helpful and often overlooked by young preppers.

This was clearly written for natural disasters not terrorist attacks or zombies. The subject of weapons is only grazed and moved over very quickly. Don't look to this book for zombie advice or to solve the question of whether you should buy and AK or AR.

All in all, your $12.95 is going to a great book that really should be read over and kept handy. If will be a great addition to your library.



5 out of 5 - Small, cheap book, tons of knowledge.

Well done, Bernie.

5/26/2012 Training Exercise Final Thoughts

I am personally proud that I managed to get my fat ass up the side of a mountain and back down without hurting myself. I am however saddened by just how out of shape I am. My original intent was to test my gears ability. In the end I realize I tested my ability. In my eyes, I have failed myself and my team. I find this to be completely unacceptable.

I've been so wrapped up in gear and knowledge that I haven't focused on the most important part of the equation, my body. It has been over 24 hours since we got back, I'm nursing some sore muscles, a sore ankle, and a battered and bruised ego. I expected more out of myself and I fell short.

Finally, I have decided that I will continue to acquire gear as it comes along, keep soaking up knowledge when it is available, but most of all I will begin tending to this sloppy pile of flesh I call my body. Goals will be set and a regiment will be devised soon.

Also, this urban style backpack is not cutting it. I think it may be to blame for some of the backaches i have today. I will begin researching and looking for new packs soon.

5/26/2012 Training Exercise Debrief

Date: 5/26/2012
Exercise: Hike from base to top of Flat Rock Trail
This is a simple task. Start at the base at Colonel Denning State Park and proceed to the view at Flat Rock.
Mission Specifics: The trail is approx. 2.5 miles of mixed terrain. The finishing altitude is 1987 ft. Majority of the terrain is rocky or swampy.
Weather: Predicted: Warm, humid, possible thunder showers. 
                 Actual: Hot (92*), very humid, sunny and hazy.
Involved: Myself (Civilian), CD (Military), ZK (Ex-Military)

Report:
The first thing I wanted to pay attention to was the clothing. I was in a t-shirt, shorts, and running shoes with a simple urban backpack. CD wore t-shirt, shorts, and running shoes with a Camelback. ZK was in what most people would call "Contractor Apparel" and hiking shoes with a camera bag. 

The Second thing i wanted to pay attention to was the gear. This is where things surprised me.
 CD carried:
1. Camelback (contained 6 bottles of water)
2. Small caliber firearm
3. Multitool
4. Small amount of personal effects.

ZK carried: 
1. Camera bag containing equipment
2. 2 Bottles of water


I carried:
1. First Aid Kid
2. Small caliber firearm
3. small LED flashlight
4. 2 2-quart canteens
5. Digital Camera
6. 2 100-Calorie fruit cups
7. Paracord
8. 2 Bandanas
9. Shemagh
10. 1 queen-size bed sheet

I knew this would only be a couple hour trip but I was prepared for a worst case scenario. However what surprised me was the amount of weight that those few objects could make. In attempts to be prepared I made a small urban style backpack a burden to get up the 2.5 mile trail.

What surprised me the most was my (piss poor) physique and lack of motivation to take this exercise on. I was sweating and losing my breath an eighth of a mile in, and wanting to turn back and go home a quarter mile in. However, the rest of the team wouldn't let me. They rearranged the gear and continued on.

The weather was obnoxiously hot and humid. We were told on return that a hiking trip like this shouldn't have been done a day like that.


The exercise was a success. No one was injured. Total time was around 5 hours.