On the Fly

Photo courtesy of Bitmap.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Will you feel safer with the new gun ban proposals?

Given the fact that most criminals do not abide by the law, will you feel safer with the new gun ban proposals? Do you think that there will be a significant increase in the crime rate with a new gun ban? Do you think the crime rate will actually go down or remain at current levels?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Tool Tips - Part one

My good friend Dean in Arizona has graciously granted my request for a series of post on mechanic stuff, machine shop, and tools for the D-I-Y people out there. I hope everyone will take advantage of his knowledge and skills to solve some of your proplems or just add to your own wealth of knowledge.

Tool Tips - Part One

Hi everyone!

I'd like to take a moment to thank RW for inviting me to do a guest post on his site. I've been a long time reader of his, and his tips and ideas are great! He has invited me to pass on tips and tricks for not only what must have, should have, or how to, about tools and how to use them. My background is in the machine shop, I have a degree in automotive engineering, Tool and Die, and almost a mechanical engineering degree, so I know a bit about tools!

First, let's address the quality of your tools. I keep hearing about the poor quality of "Harbor Fright" tools. Sure, they are cheap, but I have some over 15 year's old and going strong! Not that I would use them for a living, but in a pinch, they work. If you’re not a professional mechanic, they will work fine as long as they are not abused. I was a machine shop manager for General Motors for a few years; they made fun of my Craftsman tools! I could not justify the price of SK or Mac tools, but I didn't rely on them the way they did.

I think every tool box should have at least 2 of every tool you can think of, a good set, and a cheap set, metric and standard. NEVER loan out the good stuff! When I was off road racing, I carried the cheap stuff on my bike or truck, the good stuff stayed in the pit. A few set's of cheap stuff will also be a great barter item, so get a few of everything!

So, let me go over what every basic toolbox should have. Granted, I’ll try to keep it to a minimal list, in my opinion, but it is must have stuff. Even if you don't know how or what it does, you might run into someone who can use it, fix your whatever, and be on your way! Depending on your skill level or ability, these may or may not apply, and I'm sure to get lot's of comment's about what I missed, I welcome them!

1. Socket set’s, metric and standard, regular and deep wall

2. Allen wrenches, metric and standard

3. Crescent wrenches, 4 6 8 and 12 inch

4. Screwdriver's, a full set

5. Breaker bar for the socket's

6. A flex head ratchet...a life saver!

7. Extensions for the sockets, at least 1 1/2 inches long

8. Torx wrench set. Common on newer cars and trucks

9. A small and big pipe wrench. When the crescent won't fit.

10. Tin snips.

11. Wire cutter/strippers and a connector set.

12. Chisel's, all size's

13. Hammers, a small and big one

14. A multi meter for electrical work


I know this is a minimal list, at least to me, but it will all fit into a hip roof type toolbox, and will fix 99 percent of what you may run into. If you have an ATV or some foreign vehicle, you may need some special tools for that, but this kit will do the basics at least. RW and I have discussed further posts regarding shop tips and such, maybe some how to stuff about welding and fabricating things.

We'd love to hear your input and ideas about what you'd like to see in the future!

Thanks again RW!

Dean in Az

On the Hunt

Hunting photo courtesy of Bitmap.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Black Powder Guides and Accessories

RW Jr. is pretty busy right now fixing fence and has been pretty well tied up with driving a lot of T-posts. He asked that since a lot of people had shown an interest in his black powder pistol that I post some links to the available product guides and videos on using a black powder revolver.

RW Jr. stated that he basically uses products from Cabela’s website as they are generally good quality and that’s important when obtaining accessories and equipment for your black powder pistol.

RW Jr. is also going to try and put some additional information together for all of my readers as soon as possible. It probably won’t be until he gets through pounding a few more T-posts in the ground!


This is the product guide available at the Cabela’s website:

Black Powder Pistols


These product videos are available in both high and low resolution settings at the Cabela’s website:

Cleaning Your Black Powder Pistol

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/community/product_features/photos/pages/pf_bpcleaing_int.html


Loading Your Black Powder Pistol

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/community/product_features/photos/pages/pf_bploading_int.html


You can find additional information on black powder accessories and equipment here:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/subcategory/subcategory.jsp?id=cat20720&cmCat=search_redir&QueryTerm=blackpowder&redirect=true&cmCat=search_redir&sort=all



Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Canadian Preppers Network – Guest Posts

The Canadian Preppers Network has given me a very warm welcome and I would like to encourage everyone to check out some of the guest posts and offer your comments and suggestions. Much of this information can be of value to everyone.

Saskatchewan Preparedness Information

Nunavut Emergency Services and Information

Emergency Preparedness Information Links

The Dangers of Avalanches

The Very Real Dangers of Tornadoes

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Sources for Survival Seeds

With the gardening season about to start up, now is a good time to make sure you have the necessary seeds for that garden. Even if you aren’t planning a garden this year, it won’t hurt to stock up on some seeds just in case.

Here are a few links for heirloom seeds:


Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Heirloom Seeds

Amishland Heirloom Seeds

Here is a link to a seed exchange program that you may find helpful.

http://www.seedsavers.org/

You will also need to make sure you store your seeds properly. If you are buying additional seeds for long term storage, you can find additional information here:

Storing Seeds Properly


Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Simple Survival Tips - The Value of Backups

During the course of our everyday lives, many of us have items that get misplaced (keys?), lost, break and even get stolen. In an emergency situation, the last thing you will need to be doing is hunting for something that has been lost or misplaced. It is time you may not have.

Simple things like an extra set of house keys may save you from being locked out of your home. A spare set of car keys may save you a lot of misery and embarassment from that look on the wife's face that says "Just who is the dummy now?"

You can have the best gear money can buy but if it gets lost or misplaced it will not be of much help. Even the strongest and best tools will do little to help your situation if they become lost. If your tool happens to break, then you are really in trouble!

Having a backup is one of the easiest ways to avoid a simple problem that could leave you in a desperate situation. A fully stocked emergency kit is a good thing! Having an extra emergency kit is an even better thing.

Got backup?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Food Storage Recipes - Steamed Kraut

If you are in a hurry you don't have to rush out to a fast food restaurant, for some quick fixin's to go with that link of sausage. Try some steamed kraut. It only takes 5 minutes and goes great with a lot of main dishes.

Mrs. RW has given me the green light to post another kraut recipe for everyone and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. Since her father is full-blooded German, she grew up on kraut and sausage. This makes it a staple around the Riverwalker household.

Steamed Kraut

Ingredients:

1/3 Head of cabbage (shredded)

2 teaspoons of bacon grease (You do save your bacon grease I hope!)

1/2 Cup of water

2 to 3 Pieces of fried bacon (crumbled into small pieces)

1 teaspoon of sugar (optional - may be left out if you are diabetic)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:

In a medium size frying pan, place 1/2 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of bacon grease. Set on medium low heat. Place shredded cabbage in pan. Cover with lid (Mrs. RW uses a glass lid) and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Don't worry if it looks like the pan is too full, as it cooks down quickly. After a couple of minutes, toss the cabbage in the pan, replace the lid and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer a couple of additional minutes. Turn heat off, then remove lid and sprinkle with crumbled bacon pieces, sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

Mrs. RW serves it straight from the frying pan to the plate! There is nothing better than some fresh cooked kraut. Enjoy!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

The Top Ten Ways to Recognize Sheeple

Do you have friends or relatives that you are concerned about because you fear they are or may be on their way to becoming “sheeple”? Being able to recognize sheeple will aid you in your preparedness efforts.

How to Recognize Sheeple


1.) They have 1-800-CALL-FEMA on speed dial in case of an emergency.

2.) You see them peeling NRA stickers off truck bumpers.

3.) They are wearing T-shirts that say “More Government Now!”

4.) Their idea of emergency food for their children is a “Happy Meal”.

5.) Their concept of first aid is a trip to the ER at the hospital when they need a band-aid.

6.) They think “bug out” is a form of home pest control.

7.) They think “rocket stoves” are made by NASA.

8.) They think AR-15 is an IRS tax form that will give them a bigger refund.

9.) They think emergency shelter is a confirmed reservation at Holiday Inn.

10.) They think a Kabar is a place that serves alcoholic beverages.


Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Junk Land - Remote vs. Accessibility

Most people when referring to junk land for a retreat talk about being located in a remote area. While being located in a remote area can have a few advantages, it can also have several disadvantages as well!

First and foremost you will need to remember that a place which is difficult for others to access will also be difficult for you to access. Does it have an all-weather road? If not, you will need adequate transportation to access your own retreat. Will you need a four wheel drive vehicle? If so, do you own one or have the necessary means to obtain one?

Secondly, will you need to make regular trips to and from your retreat for employment purposes or to seek needed medical treatment? If you have a medical condition that may require frequent check-ups or treatment, the level of remoteness of your retreat may need to be looked at closely before making a decision.

Third, are you planning to go off-grid immediately or at a later date and time? Have you taken the necessary steps to go off-grid immediately or will you need municipal services for a short time before you will be able to go off-grid. If you need certain services, are they even available?

The fourth thing you should consider is the level of your skills. Will you be able to survive without some form of help from a nearby community? Will you need a mechanic to fix your vehicle when it breaks down? Can you find one that will be willing or able to come to you if necessary? What about a plumber, a carpenter, or an electrician?

The fifth thing to consider is educational needs. Do you have children that will need to be home-schooled? Can you do it yourself? Or will you need access to some form of learning institution to meet the educational needs of your family?

If you need temporary shelter for your retreat and are planning to use an RV or a trailer, can you even get it onto the property? Or will you need to live in a tent or some other form of temporary shelter till you can build on-site.

While being remote can help in matters of security, it can also create a number of other problems as well. It is best to remember the old saying when making a decision about junk land for a retreat. “You can’t get there from here!”

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

How to Survive A Marathon

My nephew, "Mike the Tall", who is an experienced marathoner (he's run in the Boston Marathon several times) has graciously supplied me with some marathon survival tips for the benefit of my readers. Here are his tips on how to survive a marathon.

Marathon Survival Tips

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

2. But don't over hydrate!! Hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance, has been linked to several deaths or illness of marathon runners. A recent study showed that 13% of runners in the Boston Marathon had hyponatremia.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/352/15/1550


3. Fuel. Just like your car or truck, your body needs fuel to run. It's essential in your training to experiment with energy bars, gels, and electrolyte replacement drinks to discover what works for you. After 2 hours of running, your body will burn through any immediate fuel source it has, i.e. glycogen. To avoid hitting the wall, this glycogen source needs to be replenished.

4. Socks. Improper socks can lead to severe blisters after 3 hours of running. Riverwalker's favorite nephew (on this side of the family) recommends thin dry-fit socks, such as Asics Ultra Lite socks. (Dry-fit shorts and shirts are also a must!)

5. Shoes. There's too much shoe technology out there to even try to discuss in this post, not to mention everyone is different. Go to a reputable running shoe store and let their experts help you find the right shoe. Also, keep in mind orthotic inserts for correcting pronation issues you may have.

6. Nipple band-aids! For the men out there, it may sound odd, but nipple chafing is a real problem, especially in cool weather. Use a small spot style band-aid on each nipple and avoid looking like you got shot in the chest twice after your run. If you don't believe me... http://www.best-running-tips.com/nipple-chafing.html


7. Deodorant please. You won't notice your own funk, but others around you will.

8. Restroom. Make sure you hit the restroom before you leave your home or hotel, and get in line at the portable toilets as soon as your arrive at the race. I apologize for being graphic, but you must clear your bowels before the race. IBS during a marathon is the great equalizer and will over-ride any conditioning and training you've done.

9. Pre-race meal. The traditional advice is to carbo load for your pre-race meal the night before. Riverwalker's nephew has tried this and found it does not work for him. (It may work for you though!) Don't be afraid of red meat and potatoes the night before. The marathon is a long race and you will need a meal that sticks with you. Favorite nephew's preferred pre-race meal is steak and sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are loaded with
potassium, which will help to curb cramping muscles at mile 20. (The large pre-race meal also helps the next morning with tip #8.) If you want to carbo-load, do it two nights prior to the race.

10. TRAINING. You cannot skimp on your training and meet your goals on race day. Favorite nephew has completed 10 marathons and one ultra-marathon, all at varying degrees of training. You cannot fake your way through the marathon. A lack of 20 mile training runs will ensure you hit the wall at Mile 21 and experiencing cramping muscles like you've never had before.....and you will still have 5 miles left to run! At least three 20-23 mile long runs are necessary to condition your legs.

11. Continue to move forward. No matter what happens after Mile 20, just keep moving forward and towards the finish line. The pain will go away in time, but finishing a marathon will last with you a lifetime.

Good luck in your marathon endeavors.

Moving towards the finish line,

Riverwalker's Favorite Nephew (on this side of the family)


BTW, his sign off was his idea!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Building a Smoker Barrel - The First Step

The first step in building a smoker barrel is obtaining a food grade barrel. As luck would have it, I was able to obtain a food grade barrel for building my new smoker barrel from my brother-in-law for free. Free is a good thing!

I figured that since he was able to get me one why not ask and see if I could get two! Well, I asked and he said sure. So I've got another one coming soon and I plan to use this one to store extra food for my home security team (my two Labs).

Check your family and friends for sources of food grade barrels and you might come up with a free one yourself. Even if they don't have the resources to access a food grade barrel, they may know someone you don't who can get you one that is fairly inexpensive.

You can cook a lot of food on a smoker barrel with very little fuel in an emergency or crisis.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Shotguns and Gardening

Shotgun Gardening

Simple Survival Tools - Eyeglass Repair Kit

Prescription eye glasses are generally a very costly item. Most eyeglasses require a prescription and have to be made specifically for your own personal requirements. Safe-guarding your vision should be one of your priorities in being prepared if you require the use of eyeglasses to see properly. Eyeglass frames and their lenses do not come cheap and the ability to fix or repair them in an emergency or crisis will be critical. It is also a good practice to keep a spare set of eyeglasses as a back-up, as well as an eyeglasses repair kit.

If your eyeglasses happen to break, you may have to get your glasses repaired by a qualified technician or optometrist. However, in many cases you may only need minor repairs to your eyeglasses. Many of these minor repairs can be done simply and cheaply until more adequate repairs are available.

Here are some simple repairs that you can do with an eyeglass repair kit:

1.) If the hinge in your frame has loosened or stretched, you can use a small rubber ring, which is included in most eyeglass repair kits, to hold the loose hinge in place.

2.) If the metal hinge breaks off from the frame, you can repair your eyeglasses with a little fast-holding glue, such as super glue, until more permanent repairs can be obtained. You can even use a small piece of duct tape as a more temporary repair.

3.) Loose screws can also cause you problems with your eyeglass frame. Loose screws can simply be re-tightened with a small screwdriver that usually comes with an eyeglass repair kit.

4.) If you have lost a hinge screw, you can simply use a replacement screw from your eyeglass repair kit. If a replacement screw is missing or doesn’t fit, use a tiny safety pin. Push the pin through the hole for the screw and then close or fasten it. You can also use a small piece of wire as a temporary repair. Although these are temporary repairs, they should be satisfactory enough to allow you to continue using your eyeglasses until a better repair can be made.

Eyeglasses repair kits can be easily found in most department store, pharmacies, and optometrists offices. They are a cheap and inexpensive item that could be critical to your survival in a crisis or disaster situation if you need to wear corrective lenses in order to see properly.

They also make a great barter item!

Got corrective lenses? Get a repair kit!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker’s Top Ten Multi-Use Items

Realizing the many potential uses for multi-use items is a great way to be prepared. Here is my list for the ten best multi-use items that everyone should include in their emergency preparedness supplies.

Top Ten Multi-Use Items
(In alphabetical order)

1.) Aluminum Foil.

2.) Baling wire.

3.) Bandanas.

4.) Buckets.

5.) Dental Floss.

6.) Duct Tape.

7.) Paracord.

8.) Trash Bags.

9.) Walking Stick / Staff.

10.) Ziplock Bags.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

P.R.E.P.A.R.E.D.

Being prepared is an essential part of being able to return your life and the life of your family back to normal as soon as possible whenever there is an emergency or disaster. Here is a basic acronym to help you remember some very important steps in being P.R.E.P.A.R.E.D.

P is for planning. You will need to take the necessary steps to have a plan in case of an emergency or a disaster.

R is for risk assessment. You will need to know the particular risks for your area, as well as the common everyday risks you or your family might encounter in an emergency or disaster.

E is for emergency contacts and communication. You will need to make sure that everyone in your family has the proper emergency contact information and be able to communicate with each other in a time of crisis.

P is for planning for alternate scenarios. Should your first plan encounter difficulties in being implemented, you will need a backup plan.

A is for assemble. Get your emergency supplies in place. It doesn’t matter if you are planning for a 72 hour period or even longer, as long as you have put together the basic items you will need for your own level of readiness.

R is for remembering. Remember the special needs of the elderly, infants in your family, your pets and people in your family or group with special medical needs.

E is for essentials. Don’t forget the basic items that you will need to survive a disaster or crisis. Water, food, shelter, first aid, and the ability to create a fire for warmth and cooking will all be essential.

D is for determination. Have the will and the determination to survive a crisis, a natural disaster or an emergency by being prepared in advance.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Preppin’ Projects

There is always another project in the works and right now I’ve got several brewing. Preppin’ is pretty much a part of my daily routine which makes things a lot easier to keep up with because once you get a little behind. It’s difficult to catch up.

The weather was a little nasty outside yesterday so I spent some time changing Stealth Survival a little and added a new feature called Popular Posts by Riverwalker. Hopefully it will load a little faster for my readers on 56k dial-up.

I also made a homemade bore snake for my Mossberg 500A shotgun. I’ll post the details on that later. It’s a quick and easy fun project that’s a fairly inexpensive process.

Got my brother in law working on getting me a new food grade barrel so that I can build me a new UDS (ugly drum smoker) smoker barrel to replace the old one that cratered.

Made a swap for a cartridge slide, a double speedloader pouch, three speedloaders, and a box of shells for my S&W .357 Magnum. It cost me about $10. I got it from an ex-deputy that didn’t need the stuff anymore. He got 5 old VHS movies in exchange and since I’d already seen them figured it was too good a deal to pass up.

I also managed to pick up a couple of extra plastic five gallon water cans. These are going to the son in law to help shore up his water storage since mine is already in good shape. I’m going to trade them for some brisket till I get my new smoker put together. My daughter says I’m too easy. That may be true but I do love to eat brisket!

There are also a couple of side jobs lined up that hopefully will generate a few extra dollars for some additional preps. Plus I plan on helping out with a big charity function type event on the first weekend in March with my nephew. It's some kind of bike thing between San Antonio and Houston and they need an escort and room for spare bike stuff. My 15 passenger van fits the bill.
It looks like it’s going to be a busy couple of weeks.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Smoker Barrel - First Upgrade

This is the first upgrade you should make to your basic smoker barrel. A pork butt and brisket are an excellent addition to a basic smoker barrel. Very functional upgrade!

The finished product! Cook's sample is missing. Wonder where it went? Little RW, my grandson, was really hungry and was more than willing to do a taste test!

Wonder who got the brisket?

A smoker barrel is a good thing.

Visit BBQ Brethren for more great barrel smoker ideas!

Staying above the smoke line!

Riverwalker

Simple Survival Foods - Corn

There are various types of corn and being familiar with these types will allow you make substitutions when necessary. It will also give you the option for a little variety in your diet. Whether you are using it as a “form of vegetable” or flour, corn has a great many uses in preparing a variety of meals.

1.) Sweet Corn

The sweet corn you usually find in the produce section of your grocery store or in cans is most often served as a vegetable. It is also referred to as “corn on the cob”. it is still a grain and consists of three fairly common types of sweet corn. These are white, yellow and a hybrid combination of the white and the yellow types. Sweet corn should be consumed rather quickly after harvesting due to its high sugar content which quickly converts into starch.

2.) Flint Corn

Flint corn is also known as red or blue corn. It has a very hard exterior and is most often used as an animal feed. It is also used in many processed food items made for human consumption, including such things as chips, drinks, sweeteners, and cereals. The more colorful varieties are also used as decorative corn. This is the type that is most often ground into corn meal but can be difficult to grind into a fine flour.

3.) Popcorn or “Popping Corn”

Popcorn is a special type of corn. It has an extremely high moisture content. When heated it causes the moisture content to heat up. Since the moisture can’t escape, it causes the corn to “pop”. Popcorn is a special type of flint corn. Popcorn can even be ground into cornmeal. It has a long shelf life if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry area.

4.) Field Corn (also known as Dent Corn)

Field corn or dent corn is also known as hominy and is found in the canned goods section of most grocery stores when used as a vegetable. It is also found in the form of “grits” as a dry product that is used to make a hot breakfast cereal. This is the type of corn that is used in masa harina. Masa merely means dough when translated. This is the type of corn used in traditional Mexican cooking to make tortillas and other products. This corn is low in sugar and high in starch.

5.) Flour Corn

This type of corn is grown specifically for making corn flour. It is softer and contains more starch than the other varieties of corn. Corn flour is generally made with white corn and is used in baked goods. It should not be confused with masa harina. Masa harina is dent or field corn that is boiled and soaked in water with slaked lime. This process lends a superior taste and texture to soft corn tortillas, crispy tortilla chips and tamales.

Corn meal, corn flour and masa harina are different products made with different types of corn.

Cornmeal is simply dried corn that is ground into a coarse meal. Grits are basically the same as cornmeal. Traditionally grits are a much more coarsely ground cornmeal but can be used interchangeably. If using it in baked goods you will need to add flour in addition to the corn meal. Corn flour is a very finely ground corn. It can sometimes be used just as you would wheat flour. You can substitute corn flour for masa harina but you will get less flavor and lack the texture of masa harina. Masa harina and corn flour can also be used to thicken sauces and soups. Masa harina can also be used to make pinole.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Accessories for the Ruger 10/22 - The Bipod

A rifle bipod is a common weapon accessory. Their use has been fairly common for more than 100 years. Most bipods can usually be folded and then quickly extended for use. Many are also easy to detach or fold up relatively quickly for carry purposes. The use of bipods is also fairly common in urban combat settings. They can also be found on small and large caliber rifles and in some instances even on certain pistols. Many also come with a swivel capacity which gives them even more versatility. There are also stock mounted and barrel mounted bipods.

Harris bipods are the standard by which most bipods are measured but are costly at $80 to $100 or even more. I’ve been considering a bipod for my Ruger 10/22 Rifle as an additional upgrade. The Muzzle Brake I added to my Ruger 10/22 works great, but for an old guy whose hands aren’t quite as steady as they were in my younger days, I was considering the additional stability of a bipod for my rifle. This might help some on my accuracy. My local Walmart has some bipods on sale for around $40 and was considering the use of one these. It is a stock mounted type and I think this would be the preferred type instead of a barrel mounted version. Since I don’t plan on any “urban combat”, I thought that these cheaper models would be sufficient for my purposes. This would also allow me to possibly upgrade in the near future to a better bipod while still having the benefits of a bipod.

Anybody with any thoughts on this? Your comments or suggestions would be most appreciated!

Got bipod?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Storage Food Recipe - Southern Style Cole Slaw

Here is one of Mrs. RW’s recipes for cole slaw. This is a quick and simple recipe that you can fix ahead of time for lunch or dinner. The fifty pounds of cabbage I recently brought home doesn’t last long around our place with the way Mrs. RW cooks.

1 Large Head of Cabbage (shredded)

1/2 Large White Onion (chopped)

1 Green Bell Pepper (chopped and seeds removed)

1 Cup of Sugar (may use less as an option)

1 Cup of Oil

1 Cup of Vinegar

Combine the cabbage, onion and bell peppers in a large glass bowl. Combine the sugar with the oil and vinegar and pour over salad mixture. DO NOT STIR. DO NOT ADD SALT. Place in refrigerator for several hours or overnight and it's ready to eat. It's great with smoked brisket.

I personally insure that it has a very short shelf life. I try to eat as much as I can!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker’s Gear: Mossberg 500A Shotgun - Update

Here is a quick update for everyone on my Mossberg 500A Shotgun. It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned my progress on fixing it up. There are several items I’d like to have but until the money situation is a little better they’ll have to wait.

While the butt cuff for my shotgun was relatively inexpensive, instead of having a set of
ghost ring sights I’ve opted for a cheaper alternative from http://www.hivizsights.com/.
I went with a Spark II-Front Bead Sight in Green. This replaces the original front bead sight which came on my shotgun. It was only about $10 and was easy to install myself. The ghost ring sights are in the future for now. I will be using my Stinger Streamlight as a hand held tactical light for the time being in order to save a little more money. The extra money will of course be going into additional shells for my shotgun.

I also obtained a nice sling for my shotgun that was on sale at Academy. It’s from The Outdoor Connection and is a Super Sling 2+ Model with Talon quick release swivels.
The original Super Sling was created by Floyd Hightower from Waco, Texas back in 1983. It has the patented one-hand adjustment that is a great feature. You can get a 2009 product catalog (7.04 Mb) here.


On a side note, check out some of the great stuff over at http://www.lifelibertyetc.com/.
You can also visit http://www.lifelibertyetc.com/RangeBag.aspx where they have provided an excellent video on the Mossberg 500.

From their site:

“Next to the Remington 870, the Mossberg 500 is one of the most common shotguns available today. In our latest issue of The Range Bag, we'll show you how to disassemble and reassemble this handy 12ga shotgun.”

View the Mossberg 500 Disassembly/Reassembly video here (wmv format):

Just right click and "Save Target As".

Small (3.7 MB)

Large (11.8 MB)





Here is an additional update:



Stealth Survival: Mossberg 500 Shotgun - Tactical Advantages


Remember to practice SAFETY at all times with your firearms!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Junk Land - Part Two - Required Resources

Part One covered the main drawback of junk land is that it generally has little or no value. This is due mainly to the lack of sustainability that would give it additional value and a greater net worth. There will be a number of resources required to make junk land a viable option. Lacking any of the basic resources required will make the task even harder.

The first basic resource that will be required is money.

You will need money not only to buy or purchase junk land but for property taxes, a title deed, property surveys, legal fees and numerous other miscellaneous costs and fees. These extras may even be a substantial part of the "cost" of your junk land. You will need to know these costs before you make your purchase so as to insure you have adequate funds available. Budgetary strains caused by large purchases can create a further burden if you fail to take these extra costs into consideration when making a land purchase. How much money you will need will depend on land prices in the area you decide that will best suit your needs and the needs of your family.

The second basic resource you will need are basic skills.

If your junk land is of poor quality from an agricultural standpoint, you will need to be knowledgeable in such areas as gardening and raising simple forms of livestock such as chickens, goats or pigs. Do you know how to grow crops in a raised bed? Can you make compost to improve the native soil? Can you build a cold frame in order to grow crops in the winter? In other words, you will need to be able to provide the skills to make it sustainable.

Are your carpentry skills adequate to build your own shelter? Will you need an alternate form of shelter (RV, trailer, etc.) till the weather is in your favor in order to have sufficient time for construction? Are your carpentry skills non-existent causing you to rely on the paid services of someone else? These are all serious questions that you will need to know the answers before you jump off the deep end and purchase junk land.

Will it need a well for a source of water? Is the water table high enough that you can dig one yourself if needed? Or do you have sufficient funds for that basic requirement to provide water if needed? Will you have to haul water till a solution can be found? You will then need a means to transport it and money for fuel costs! It may already have a basic source of water which will allow you to avoid these problems. Or it may not!

The third basic resource is time.

It will take time and lots of it to turn junk land into a thing of beauty. It will take time to find the "right" junk land. Will you need it to be close enough to an area where possible employment may be found? Will you want it to be close enough to family and friends so that you can avail yourself of their help and resources? Or will you need additional space to provide for elderly or handicapped family members that are a part of your group? It takes time to grow crops, manage the needs of livestock, or to build or maintain a shelter. You will need to put in a lot of time to make it work!

The fourth basic resource is patience.

You will need a great deal of patience. The "right" junk land for you may not be "right" for someone else. Although basic needs are the same for everyone, your situation will be different from someone else depending upon what those individual circumstances are. This is something that can't be rushed. If money wasn't an object affecting your decision, you could buy the best available property out there. Unfortunately for the average person or family, this is simply not an option.

Using good common sense and a little patience, knowing the limits of your abilities, and making sure you have the minimum amount of needed funds will allow you to be successful in turning your junk land into a jewel!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

What's the Best Type of Handle - Fiberglass or Wood?

A friend and I were discussing the different types of handles for tools via e-mail. A basic discussion of the different types of handle materials left me at a loss. I have tools with both types of handles. Maybe I'm just old school, but I prefer wood handles over fiberglass.

I know wood handles aren't water-proof but if properly cared for will last a long time, especially the hickory types. While fiberglass is usually considered stronger, fiberglass handles are usually difficult to replace, although minor repairs usually are pretty simple and straight forward.

Which type of handle do you prefer to use?

Got wood?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Basic Home Tool Kit

There will be times when things break, become loose,or just need to be repaired or replaced. As part of any preparedness plan, a basic home tool kit can be extremely valuable in an emergency. Having a good set of basic tools will help you make those emergency repairs when it becomes necessary.

Basic Home Tool Kit

1.) Sturdy Tool Box - This will be used to keep your tools readily accessible.

2.) Set of Regular Pliers (2) - 1 Small / 1 Large

3.) Set of Screwdrivers

4.) Claw Hammer - Get a size and weight that is comfortable for you.

5.) Ball Peen Hammer(2) - 1 Small / 1 Large

6.) Rubber Mallet

7.) Set of Cobination Wrenches (open and box end) - SAE (inches) & Metric (MM)

8.) Tape Measure (25 foot)

9.) Set of Allen Wrenches

10.) Hacksaw with extra blades

11.) Utility Knife (with extra blade storage in the handle)

12.) Locking Pliers (2) (aka, Visegrips)- 1 Small / 1 Large

13.) Slip joint Pliers (2) - 1 Small / 1 Large

14.) Needle-nose Pliers (1)

15.) Wirecutters (1)

16.) Set of Punches

17.) Set of Chisels

18.) Files - 1 Small / 1 Large - Both round and flat types.

19.) Wood Saw - Hand Type - 6 or 8 Tooth Crosscut

20.) Pipe Wrenches - 1 Small (8 inch)/ 1 Large (12 inch)

Don't forget to throw in some small boxes of miscellaneous nails, screws and bolts and a roll of electrical tape and duct tape.. This list also doesn't include electrically powered tools. Hand tools work even when the power grid is down. There may also be other tools or specialty items you may want to keep in your tool box.

While a good basic home tool kit when purchased new will probably run anywhere from $150 to $200, it is a multi-use item that has a very good shelf life if cared for and used properly. You can also start small and add to your home tool kit as funds become available or you can shop garage sales and flea markets for bargains.

There are a great many tools out there and having the proper tool everytime will be difficult. Having the basics may make it possible to solve the problem when it occurs.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Gear - The Smoker Barrel

I guess by way of introduction, I should tell you that Riverwalker is my father-in-law. I can’t even begin to tell you what a blessing that is. That man can fix anything, except dinner. That is what Mrs. Riverwalker does best. That woman can cook! It is amazing to me that RW is so skinny, considering the amount of food that he eats.

About 18 months ago I built my own smoker for less than $100. For about the last six months, Riverwalker has been trying to get me to type something up about how it was done, the materials list, procedure, and that kind of thing. I have a three-year-old. Scheduling time to type doesn’t really work out for me so well. RW and Mrs. RW are at the house as I type this and entertaining their grandson (Baby RW?), so I have a few minutes.

First things first…this smoker is NOT fancy. Your friends will not likely be impressed until they taste the food that comes off of it. It isn’t (necessarily) pretty. Its job is to cook and to cook well. There is no welding…all you need is a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, and a drill and some bits. If you had nothing but a hammer, a nail, and some desire, you could build this thing. Rocket science it is not.

It would be foolish to start any project without a list of materials that you will need to get the project done. Here is your parts list for this smoker. Don’t be discouraged by the fact that there aren’t a lot of expensive parts. If you want an expensive smoker, check out the Lange, the Spicewine, or any of a dozen other brands. All make good BBQ, but this is a WHOLE lot cheaper (in all actuality, I will buy a smoker from one of the listed companies when funds permit. If you are in the market, you can’t go wrong with either).

PARTS LIST:

One 55 gallon steel drum (new or food grade preferred)

Two 22.5 inch Weber replacement grates (stick with the Weber brand, despite the fact that they are more expensive, they will save you money in the long run. Don’t ask. And you don’t need the kind where one side opens to add more charcoal.)

One 14 inch charcoal grate. This can be Weber or any other brand. I got one at Academy Sports for about 5 bucks. You may want to pick up a 16 inch one for an option to be explained later.

¾ inch expanded metal. You will want 18-24 inches tall by 48 inches (14 inch charcoal grate) to 52 (16 inch grate). These measurements will allow for overlap and allow the bolts to hold the expanded metal together.

Six 2 ½ inch bolts, and 12 matching nuts.

Four refrigerator magnets. Yes, you read that right. Get some of the bigger ones (business card size). It doesn’t matter who they are advertising. They will work the same.

One thermometer-they are sold at sporting goods stores in the BBQ section. They have a screw on them that allows them to be mounted to a BBQ pit. About $15.

One barn door or gate handle, whatever fits your hand; and four screws/bolts that will go through the holes in the handle.

At some point, you (or your significant other) will want this thing to be less ugly, so consider some spray paint, in your choice of colors. Team colors are good, especially if you are tailgating at a game somewhere. I used high-heat manifold paint (available at auto parts stores) on mine, but I have been told that standard spray paints work fine for the relatively low temperatures that smoking requires. The standard paints come in a greater variety of colors and are cheaper. You can decide if repainting once a year (or even less frequently) is worth it to you in exchange for the greater variety of colors.

Barrel Selection

If you are fortunate enough to have a large selection of barrels, you get to be somewhat selective in what barrel you choose. Ideally, you will get a barrel with a flat lid and no open holes. If you get one with a bung hole, you will be fine as long as the hole is plugged. Inward sloped sides? A good thing as long as the grates will fit into it. This will allow the use of a Weber kettle lid for the top.

Burn Out

First, let’s assume that you have found a food grade or new barrel. DO NOT use an old oil or gas barrel. Your food will never taste right if you do.

For those of you that that didn’t find a new barrel, there is some preparation that needs to be done. This part is easy, and a lot of fun. Build a fire. A BIG fire, in your barrel. Wait, the pyro in me is getting ahead of things.

First, you need to drill some holes for air intake. Drill four, one inch holes in the drum two inches from the bottom. To put it another way, measure up two inches from the BOTTOM of your drum. Mark that spot. Drill a one inch hole there. Do three more of those for a total of four holes.








NOW we get to burn some stuff! Old pallets, tree trimmings, leaves, whatever you have. Set it ablaze in your barrel. Lots and lots of FIRE! The goal here is to burn off the lining in food grade barrels. It is either a tan or a reddish-brown, and we want it gone. If the paint on the outside of the barrel is burning off, you are on the right track.

Once the fire department leaves and your neighbors are calmed down (for you city dwellers), hit the inside of the barrel with a pear burner to get any last bits of lining. You can also use a grinder with a wire wheel for this.

I may have made this sound like a bigger deal than it is. The reality is that if you live in a subdivision, and you do this with even a little bit of deference to your neighbors, there will be nothing for them to complain about. If they come over to ask what all of the smoke is about, tell them you will let them taste the BBQ once the pit is done. You may get some strange looks early on, but they will be converts later. Trust me on this.




So Let’s Build this Dude…

Construction is not complicated. Let’s not make this into something that it doesn’t need to be. Get a pair of pliers, a screwdriver, and a drill and some drill bits. You are now ready to build yourself a smoker.

I would really like to try to make this more complicated so that I seem smarter, but it just isn’t possible. This is as simple and as basic as you can find.

The Basics

FIRST….and most important…no galvanized materials allowed in the cooker. They put off toxic fumes that will come back to haunt you.

Ok, that about covers the basics…here we go…

The Charcoal Basket

Take your expanded metal and wrap it around your 14”or 16” charcoal basket. Want to make it a little easier? If you have a bottle of propane for a gas grill, wrap it around that. It will give it a pretty good shape to start with. Put a short (1”) bolt through the expanded metal at the top and bottom to hold it together. Put them about two inches from the top and bottom of the expanded metal. Add the two of the same sized bolts equidistant from the first bolt (put three bolts the same distance apart around the outside). These three bolts will be where the charcoal grate rests, so try to spread them out evenly. If you want to add a fourth bolt, feel free to do so. This is your smoker.
It should look something like this:










The Cooking Grates

Measure up 25 inches from the BOTTOM of the barrel. This is where your first cooking grate will go. Put three bolts around the barrel, spread out pretty evenly. I used to do four bolts (8 when I used small grates). What I found was that if you are off even a little bit on one of the four bolts, your grate will be uneven. Three bolts will always have a stable (even if not level) cooking surface. Throw a 20 pound brisket on a grate and let me know how important stability is (again, don’t ask how I know).

For the second grate, measure up 31 inches from the BOTTOM of the barrel. This will give you six inches between cooking grates, and roughly three inches from the flat top of the barrel; more than enough room for a slab of ribs or two.

The Top

The top is, coincidentally enough, the most important part of the cooker. This is where the ventilation takes place. For those who are new to BBQ, this is the most important part of the deal. No matter what cooker you are using, all of the exhaust vents should be wide open. Always. Every cook. The temperature control for your cook is determined by air inflow, or how much air is coming in the bottom (in our case) of the cooker. Limit the oxygen, limit the temperature. This will be discussed in greater detail later, but for now, know this. Your pristine lid needs a minimum of eight 1/2 inch holes drilled in it. If you have had one too many and they get a little big, no problem. Too much exhaust is always better than too little.

If you get nothing else from this article, tale this: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH EXHAUST. You can have too little air intake, you can have too little exhaust, but you can never have too much exhaust. Okay, you CAN, but it is hard to do.

There It Is

Now you have it. The basic BBQ pit. You will find that it cooks different than your regular BBQ pit. It cooks a lot faster than you are probably used to. A pit I built for a friend went almost 20 hours on 12 pounds of charcoal. He cooked a brisket, then chicken, then ribs and sausage on a single load of coals.

Want to Know More?

Want to dress your cooker up? Like a couple of good recipes? Brisket? Ribs? Want to do it easy instead of how you always heard it has to be done? Stay tuned…the father-in-law is putting me to work.

OK…so RW pointed out I overlooked a couple of things while typing this post.

Here we go….

The temp gauge, or thermometer, needs to go one inch below the lower grate. A hole is drilled for the probe and it should bolt right up. Measure up 24” from the BOTTOM of the barrel for the location of the hole for your temp gauge.

When starting the fire in the BBQ pit, use a pear burner or a small charcoal chimney. Start a few coals on one side of the basket, and let the fire expand from there. It will draw what air it needs from the bottom of the pit and go from there.

Remember the magnets that I mentioned a while back? Too much air intake will cause your fire to burn hot. Use the magnets to cover the openings at the lower end of the smoker. In reality, you will probably only need one of these open while you are cooking, but opening more than one will allow you to bring the temperature up faster. The magnets allow for fine tuning. If you need one fully open and another half open to maintain temperature, then you can do that. If windy conditions call for the opening or closing of certain holes to control temps, you have that option available to you. Temperature control becomes a matter of weather conditions. Need more heat? Open the intakes. Too hot? Close some intakes. This is not complicated. It just takes a little fine tuning depending upon conditions. I don’t want to give you the idea that it will require the same attention that a stick burner needs. Once you cook on this once or twice, it’s a set it and forget it cooker.

Not sure this will work? Ask these guys; the Jack is an Invitational BBQ Event. These guys won first place in brisket cooking on a barrel smoker. Must be embarrassing to have a $20,000 smoker and lose to guys cooking in trash cans!






More photos later. STXcue.



More information on UDS (ugly drum smokers) at: BBQ Brethren





Staying above the smoke line!





Riverwalker

Could You Survive If You Were Homeless?

With the increasing the numbers of people who are losing their homes, their jobs and their savings due to a poor economy, becoming homeless is a very real possibility. It is well known that even our current infrastructure can’t provide sufficiently for the large number of homeless people that already exist in our society.

Dragon mentioned in one of his posts the other day about a friend of his who had suddenly found himself homeless and how he had helped them as much as he possibly could. But as Dragon mentioned even he is struggling and could only do so much. This makes a person wonder if becoming homeless is going to be the next real challenge for all of us.

Even in a best case scenario of having a home without a mortgage, would that be enough. There would still be maintenance and upkeep, property taxes, utilities, etc. All of which would require money. Let’s not forget about healthcare! There would probably be no insurance to help pay for needed medications, treatment or a doctor’s care if needed. How far would your first aid kit get you? Food will be a problem also, even if you have a garden and the weather is nice to you which allow you to have a good harvest. Even your savings may not be enough to see you through some really bad times. This is especially true when you consider the fact that many people’s savings have lost more than half their value in a relatively short period of time.

Emergency rooms, food banks, and other service providers are all struggling to meet the current demands on their resources without even considering the potential for even larger and more widespread numbers of homeless people that could be just around the corner. Most support groups are already overwhelmed by these ever increasing demands. Placing even more demands on their services could force them into a guaranteed position where they would fail due to a critical overload.

While being an advocate of group and community survival, I don’t wish to appear biased when considering some of these very real possibilities. Present support groups already have inadequate resources to meet present demands. It will take your ability to form a strong network and support group of family and friends to allow you the best chance for survival.

Frugal lifestyles and working to build a strong support group of family and friends will be the new priority for survival. Prudent choices and a determination to pull together will be essential.

Most of us can survive any threat or danger thrown at us by nature, but even the most frugal lifestyle is far beyond the life that an average homeless person endures. But can we survive being homeless?

There is a new monster on our doorsteps! That monster is homelessness. It is stalking our families, our friends and our neighbors. It is a very real threat to our survival.

Staying above the water line?

Riverwalker

Using Shotguns for Defense

Using a shotgun for defensive purposes requires proper skill and training to avoid mistakes that could endanger your safety. There is an excellent series with pictures and comments that will allow you to get a beginning knowledge of fighting with a shotgun and learn some simple techniques for using a shotgun for defensive purposes.

Do you know the proper manner to do a tactical reload? What is the one thing you never want to do with your shotgun? These are just a couple of the questions you can find answers for in this article. The article consists of four pages and I have provided separate links for each page or you can simply click “next page” at the bottom of each page.

Fighting With A Shotgun

Page One

Page Two

Page Three

Page Four

You can also find other articles on a variety of different gun-related topics here:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/educational.htm

Hopefully you will find this information useful.

Thanks JH for the link.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Avoiding Cabin Fever

If you find yourself in a situation where you have to hunker down inside your home for an extended period of time due to a disaster, cabin fever can quickly arrive to make your life even more miserable. You will need some type of activity to keep your mind in proper working condition. The mind is a vital part of your body and needs “exercise” to keep it working properly.

Boredom and loneliness will quickly reach out and grab a hold of you if you aren’t prepared. Peace and quiet are good things, but the gregarious nature of man does not tolerate long periods of it very well. You will need to plan ahead for this contingency to avoid it.

There are several simple ways to do this.

1.) Keep a good deck of cards handy. Playing a game of solitaire will keep your mind occupied for a long time. Cards are inexpensive and don’t require a lot of storage space.

2.) Keep a good paperback or book handy to read. Reading is a very relaxing activity and will keep your mind occupied. Select your reading material so that it is a subject of interest that you will enjoy. Used paperbacks are cheap and readily available.

3.) Keep a small tool box handy. It will be a good time to finish all those little repair jobs you’ve been putting off because you didn’t have “time”.

4.) Keep your gun cleaning kit handy. You can use the extra time to clean your firearms with all the “spare time”.

5.) If you have a hobby, you might be able to work on that in the time that you are spending inside.

For those of you who suffer from technology dependence, you will need to make sure the battery on your laptop computer is fully charged so you can play your computer games. For those of you who spend a great deal of time outdoors, cabin fever can be a very real problem if you don't plan for some simple "indoor" activities.

Keeping yourself occupied is the best cure for cabin fever. Keeping a few simple items handy and available will insure you won’t suffer from its effects.

Got fever?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Simple Survival Tips - Water for Hygiene and Sanitation

In addition to stocking adequate amounts of water for drinking, you will also need plenty of water for hygiene and sanitation purposes. You can reduce the amount of extra water required by stocking up on paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils that can be simply discarded and will not require cleaning. If you still have running water, you will need to fill all miscellaneous containers capable of holding water such as coolers, water pitchers, etc.

After a disaster and the water is still running, fill all your bathtub(s). However, you may not want to trust the water quality, particularly after an earthquake or flood. You will also need to shut off the water inlet to your water heater to provide extra water without having to worry about it becoming contaminated. There's a likelihood that contaminants could be drawn into the water system. You can also plan ahead and fill a clean trash can with a tight-fitting lid. Then place the trash can in the backyard, garage, or a storage shed. Treatment with a few drops of chlorine bleach will help to maintain your stored water. If you have small children around, all water storage cans should have their lids secured tightly in some fashion to prevent any accidents.

If you don’t have running water, sanitation will become a major issue for you and your family. You should save your "grey water," The water that you used for washing dishes, bathing, etc. should be collected in a bucket or trash can. Don't let it simply run down the drain. A toilet can still be used even if you don't have a water supply. A toilet can be "manually" flushed by rapidly pouring in about half gallon of water into the bowl. Do this quickly and all at once. You need to make sure that you have safe access to a bathroom. In some cases you may not have access to a toilet.

Your disaster kit should also include a port-a-potty or homemade toilet. A good, inexpensive one can be made from a five gallon plastic bucket and a toilet seat. You can use the 13 gallon size kitchen trash bags as liners for your home-made toilet. Clean empty buckets are sold at most home improvement and hardware stores.

In most situations you should have at least one gallon of water for drinking purposes, one gallon for sanitation and one for hygiene purposes. This sounds like a lot but is really a very minimal amount. After having gone through a major flood of the "500 year" variety, you very quickly realize even that much will barely get you through the rough times when there is no good water available.

Got potty?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

After the Storm - Performing a Home Safety Check

After any natural or man-made disaster, you should always evaluate the safety and structural integrity of your home. This is simply a good common sense practice. A tragic situation can go from bad to worse in a very short period of time if you fail to take certain steps to make sure that there aren’t any further dangers to you and your family.

If you are uncertain whether it is safe for you to stay in your home, you may need to make alternate living or shelter arrangements. Unfortunately, if the event was severe enough to damage your home, it probably created further hazards as well. Highways and roads may be unusable due to ruined pavement, fallen trees, downed electric wires, or flooding. The traffic conditions may also be so utterly congested by others trying to leave the area that any travel may be next to impossible. Your best option may be to simply camp out in the backyard for a while or to take shelter in an alternate dwelling or structure, such as a shed or garage. You may simply have to spend a few nights sleeping in your vehicle.

The first thing you will need to do is determine if there is any major damage to the structural stability of your home. Short of having a professional engineer available to do a proper evaluation of damages, use your best judgment and a lot of common sense to determine whether conditions are safe enough for you to remain in your home. If there is any doubt where you and your family’s safety are concerned, make other arrangements and don’t risk possibly deadly consequences.

Missing portions of your roof, exterior walls with gaps or openings or interior walls that are severely bowed or buckled could be further signs of serious problems. Cracked or shifted foundations could be other signs of structural instability. Broken rafters or support beams could also be indicators of possible problems. Wet or muddy conditions due to flooding could also pose a health risk due to mold and mildew. Large trees, power poles or power lines that may have fallen on your home can also create potentially life threatening hazards. Broken water mains or gas lines are other hazards that may make it unsafe to stay in your home or to try and return before it is actually prudent to do so safely. Basically, if it doesn’t look safe, it probably isn’t. Don’t take unnecessary chances. It is simply not worth the risk.

Strange or funny noises could also be indicators of a lack of structural integrity which may lead to a potential failure or collapse. You will also need to be ready for the real possibility of changing conditions in any type of structure which has been damaged and will need to be ready to get out quickly if the situation changes.

Should you determine that the structural integrity is intact to a degree where you can safely enter or remain in your home, you will need to clean up any hazardous debris that may be in the area. Broken glass from windows, splintered wood from walls or roofs or other objects such as furniture that have been disturbed from their normal place in the home can all create possible safety problems.

Let common sense be your guide. Take the time to properly evaluate any damages you may have sustained before risking your life and the lives of your family. If you have the slightest doubt, try to seek professional help and guidance at the first available opportunity.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Junk Land - Part One - How to Make it Work

The basic requirements for human needs are the same no matter where you live. You will need good access to your land, a good source of water, the ability to produce food for long term sustainability, some form of power, some form of shelter that is relatively permanent, have adequate safety and security for you and your family and a means to provide all of these different requirements.

The old saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” still holds true to this day. Junk land by definition is simply land which has no real definitive value due to a lack of those things which may give it value and worth. It may lack easy and reliable access. It will usually have poor road access or sometimes even none. It may lack a proper source of water or have poor soil for crops or livestock. It may not even have the option for an on-the-grid source for power which will require an alternate source of power to be found. There are solutions to these problems that can make junk land a viable option for you.

Like a diamond in the rough which has no lasting value until it has been cut, shaped and polished, so too will living on junk land be rough until you have shaped and polished it to fit your individual needs and the needs of your family. This will require lots of time, a variety of skills, adequate resources and a huge amount of determination on your part that will involve not only you but your entire family. You will probably be giving up a great many “creature comforts” that you have been accustomed to and you may be reluctant to give these up or do without them. This is a personal choice that you alone will have to make.

If you lack the necessary determination, skills, or resources you may need to wait until the option of junk land is more viable. Patience in knowing when the right time to pursue junk land as the proper option is hard. The emotional desires of having your own little piece of paradise can sometimes cloud your judgment. Rational and well thought out reasoning will help you succeed in this type of endeavor. Not everyone will have the required abilities to turn junk land into a thing of beauty. While this may be a very big obstacle, it too can be overcome. Common sense must be your guide to prevent any irrational thoughts and actions from putting you in a worse condition than you may be in presently.

These problems are not new and have been overcome by many people, myself included. My own experiences have been both enlightening and educational. It has been a definite learning process. Hopefully, by examining the different aspects of developing your land, you will be able to make your dream for a self reliant and sustainable lifestyle become a reality.

This topic requires a great deal more thought and discussion to examine all the different possibilities and options for making junk land a viable option. It is a topic which needs to be looked at from both sides of the fence. While the grass is always greener on the other side, it still needs to be mowed!

“Junk Land - Part Two - Required Resources” will deal with some of the different skills and resources that will probably be necessary to make junk land a viable option for you.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Shotgun Accessories for Home Defense - Tactical Lights

A tactical light can help you be sure of your target. It is NOT an acceptable practice to fire your shotgun until you have identified the target, regardless of the circumstances. You need to positively identify your target in order to avoid a tragic error. This is even more critical in a home defense scenario. That strange sound at night you heard could be several things other than a criminal invading your home. Blindly shooting at “things that go bump in the night” is a sure recipe for a personal disaster.

Tactical lights generally attach to your shotgun with a barrel, rail or scope mount and are usually made durable enough to withstand the effects of recoil from a shotgun. Most produce a very bright light. This can help you properly identify and quite possibly disorient a criminal intruder in your home. Since most days have a fairly equal amount of hours of both daylight and dark, it only makes sense to be prepared for those times when additional light may be needed.
Most shotguns will require a special mount to hold your tactical light in addition to the tactical light itself. The type of mount will vary depending upon your particular type and brand of shotgun. Here are a couple of links to tactical light mounts and tactical lights for a Mossberg 500 shotgun for your reference.

Shotgun Mounts for Tactical Lights:

http://www.tacticalshotgunaccessories.com/ati/lightmount.htm

Tactical Lights for Shotguns:

http://www.reddiamondonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=4776

A tactical light will give you two major advantages in a home defense scenario. You will be able to positively identify your target and the effects of a bright light will usually disorient an intruder. Although you should also be aware that there is a definite down side to the use of a tactical light, a bright light will also give away your location. This can be a definite disadvantage to you. Of course it is also important to remember, you are the one standing behind the shotgun and not the one in front of it!

You can read about an improvised shotgun light here:

Shotguns at Dark Thirty-Improvised Shotgun Light

The use of a tactical light is mostly a matter of personal choice. The final decision should be yours as to whether or not a tactical light for your shotgun is a viable option.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Gear for the Home - Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers should be a common item in every household. Fire is one of the most damaging and devastating things that can occur in your life. House fires account for a significant amount of property damage and loss of life each year. One of the easiest ways to prevent this is by keeping a fire extinguisher handy in different areas of your home.

There is no doubt that having a fire extinguisher handy can be an important part of safety in the home. Although many people realize that a fire is possible and could happen at any time at home, most people think it will never happen to them. Owning a fire extinguisher is another form of ensuring your survival, as well as your safety. All homes should have one just in case a fire starts. A fire extinguisher can save you from extensive property loss due to a fire or possible deadly consequences by preventing the fire from spreading to other areas of your home. It will sometimes stop the fire entirely and thus eliminate the danger altogether.

Advantages of Fire Extinguishers

1. Fire Extinguishers are very cost effective.

You do not need to purchase a fire extinguisher very often as they are long lasting and have a very good shelf life. Many disposable type fire extinguishers can have a shelf life of as much as 10 years or more. They usually only require routine maintenance and inspection. Many types of fire extinguishers are also refillable. This adds to their cost effectiveness. Fire extinguishers can offer you protection for a very long time, with minimal cost. You only need to provide proper access and routine maintenance and inspections on a regular basis.

2. Fire Extinguishers require minimal storage space.

Fire extinguishers are one of the few items that you don’t have to hide. You can mount it on a wall where it is readily available in an emergency. Anybody that sees it will probably feel safer in your home as a result. Everyone knows how serious and deadly a fire can be and will feel safer in your home because they know you are prepared to handle a fire should it occur. If you prefer, you can always set them inside a cabinet as long as you make sure they are easily accessible.

3. Fire extinguishers are easy to use.

Using a fire extinguisher is quite simple. The instructions are usually written on the fire extinguisher itself. There are some basic steps to remember when using a fire extinguisher.

Pull the pin out of the top of the fire extinguisher.

Aim the nozzle of the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the lever or trigger to release the contents of the fire extinguisher.

Sweep the fire as you squeeze the lever or trigger of the fire extinguisher.

Use the acronym PASS to help you remember. Pull. Aim. Squeeze. Sweep.

Fire extinguishers require very simple and routine maintenance. This will vary depending on the type and manufacturer. It is also important to remember that fires can happen anywhere. They can occur on your boat, RV, travel trailer or in a shed or garage. With a low net cost, easy maintenance, and an item that can be used in every home, building or vehicle, a fire extinguisher should be mandatory for your safety and survival. Personally, I keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, utility room, hallway and garage. I also keep a small one in my vehicles.

Part 2 will cover the different types of fire extinguishers and their use.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker