Riverwalker's Pics - River Cane at Water's Edge

While river cane can be found in a variety of places, it's easiest to find along the water's edge. It is most commonly found along the edges of lakes and the banks of rivers or streams.

Looking for river cane?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

DIY Survival Gear Mods - H&R Tamer .410 Shotgun - Tip #1

The H&R Tamer .410 shotgun makes a great pack gun. With a simple DIY gear mod, it can be made even more versatile. Although it breaks down easily into two basic components, it does require the removal of a single screw from the forend. To make this an easier task, all you have to do is substitute a ¼” wing nut for the screw on the forend.

Once this is done you won’t need a tool for the removal of the screw on the forend. Cost for this survival gear mod was less than a dollar for a ¼” wing nut. Now my H&R .410 Tamer can be taken down and reassembled without using any tools other than my hand.


Survival is all about keeping things simple.

Got simple survival gear mods?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Hidden Signs of Financial Collapse - Part Three - Debt Bubbles

Ask any child and they will tell you that all bubbles eventually pop. They will also tell you that it doesn’t take much effort to make them pop.  In a system where we continue to use new debt to pay for old debt, there will eventually come a breaking point and things will have to change. Otherwise, that bubble will pop and there won’t be anything left afterwards.

                                  

Our current financial system is loaded with lots of debt bubbles and eventually they will start to pop. Most everyone would agree that our national debt is the largest one of these bubbles but it continues to be artificially maintained by a system that is systematically increasing the money supply and the level of debt with little or nothing to back it up. Unfortunately, many state and local governments have followed their lead and are now having to deal with debt bubbles of their own. Even the large corporations are attempting to mimic the government in maintaining their own little debt bubbles.

The sad part is that debt bubbles also exist on an individual level. Too many of us have our own little debt bubbles hidden in the closet and are failing to deal with the problem. Any of our personal debt bubbles can pop suddenly and without warning if something goes wrong. It could be the loss of a job or a sudden health crisis. Whatever the reasons, the results can be very unpleasant to deal with when it happens. You may wind up creating an even bigger personal debt bubble. This can make an already bad situation even worse.

Credit card debt, college loans, home loans and various other forms of consumer debt are at all time highs. This is especially true as prices for goods and services begin to creep higher and higher due to inflation which is currently quietly lurking in hidden places within our economy. When lines of credit are being used to finance the purchase of everyday items such as food, clothing and transportation needs, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that our system and we are in trouble.

Will all of these different debt bubbles pop all at once? They probably won’t. Some debt bubbles are going to pop quicker than others, some will just get bigger (the national debt?) and others will remain in place for the time being. It is a more likely scenario that these bubbles will pop at different stages.

Some of these bubbles have already popped and the effects are having serious consequences on individuals everywhere. The housing bubble is just one example. With the number of vacant homes at an all time high (due mainly to foreclosures), many local neighborhoods have been left with plummeting home values. Many of the remaining homes in these neighborhoods have seen dramatic decreases in home values to the extent where the mortgages are in excess of their current home values despite government attempts to solve this problem.  This is despite a rise in property taxes on these same homes as state and local governments continue to try and prevent their own debt bubbles from bursting.

As these debt bubbles start to pop, different segments of the economy are going to be affected. It has already happened in several areas of our economy. It will probably take several years for all of them to pop but sooner or later they will burst. Unfortunately, the old debt bubbles are merely being replaced with new ones. It’s time we learned to avoid debt and stop paying for it with more debt. That debt bubble will eventually pop leaving nothing behind.

This dance has lasted way too long and it’s finally time to pay the band.

Are you avoiding the personal debt bubble?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Disclaimer

This is merely an opinion of this writer and should not be considered financial advice of any kind. Use or misuse of this information is solely the reader’s responsibility.

Riverwalker's Pics - Water's Edge

Water's Edge

Looking for a good fishing spot? 

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Priorities - Determining Threats to Your Survival

There are various things in our everyday lives that are threats to our survival. Determining which of these threats should be a priority is always a challenge but this challenge can be managed with a common sense approach. This will limit the element of risk involved for you and your family.

The first priority for determining a threat to your survival is an assessment of the immediate risks that can affect your current situation. Many natural events can be incorporated into your planning and simple precautions can then be taken to limit their effects on our lives. There are also man-made events that can affect our lives with equally devastating effects. We may not be able to stop them from happening but we can limit our risk if our survival priorities are focused on the most imminent threats.

Establishing your priorities for natural events is largely determined by the geographic area in which you live. In most cases, close proximity to relatives or work determine where we live and so relocating to a different area is not always an option. There are few places that don’t have some element of risk due to natural disasters. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires happen all too frequently in many different parts of the country. The truth is almost everyone will face a real threat from one of these types of natural disasters at some point in their lives. These are the threats people most commonly prepare for in their planning.

There are also economic threats to your survival as well. The sudden loss of a job, inflation with higher prices for goods and services or being retired and struggling on a fixed income can be as devastating as any natural event. These may have even more immediate and serious effects on your ability to survive. The best way to prepare for this type of event is to reduce your debt and have an “Emergency Fund” to help you get through tough economic times. You also need to consider the “health factor”. This should also be a priority because health needs can’t be ignored or put off till later without serious consequences.

Always evaluate your needs and determine the threats to your survival based on your own personal situation. You may have serious health issues that will be a priority, live in an area that is currently suffering from a serious economic downturn or on the coast where the likelihood of a hurricane is almost a certainty. In either case, you will need to determine the greatest risks to you survival according to your own personal circumstances.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

H&R Tamer .410 Shotgun - The Quick Take-Down for Stealth Mode

The H&R Tamer .410 makes a really great pack gun. It breaks down simply and quickly with the removal of only one screw on the forend which can be accomplished with just a simple multi-tool. Survival is all about keeping things simple.

Once the forend has been removed from the barrel, the H&R Tamer .410 shotgun comes apart quickly into two basic parts. Merely press the release lever and unhook the barrel from the front pin on the receiver. The forend acts as a sort of locking mechanism to hold the barrel in place on the front pivot pin of the receiver.

This leaves you with the receiver with the buttstock attached and the barrel. Reattaching the forend to the barrel keeps all the parts together without having to worry about losing the screw that attaches the forend to the barrel. The shotgun can be used quickly by merely re-hooking the barrel on the front pin of the receiver and is still functional even without the forend attached to the barrel.

This reduces the shotgun to two basic components that are relatively short and will fit easily into most regular size backpacks. The H&R Tamer also reassembles in a matter of seconds and quite easily if needed by simply reversing the original process.

Got pack gun for Stealth mode?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Powers of Observation - Buzzards in a Tree

Buzzards in a Tree

Our powers of observation can be challenged by many situations. If we focus on the big picture, we often miss the details which may be important to our survival. One of the ways you can improve your powers of observation is to know the habits of the creatures you are observing. This is especially important when developing good hunting skills. It is vitally important to know your prey and their habits.

Whether it's a deer or a dove, every creature has a unique set of habits that can help you to better understand what you are seeing when using your powers of observation. It's not always a silhouette or a color that will help you understand what you are observing. Training your mind to factor in the habits of different creatures will often make them easier to observe.

Here's a little test for your powers of observation. See how many buzzards you can find in the picture above. In order to make it a little easier, here's a hint for you. Buzzards often congregate in large groups of a dozen or more more birds. Sometimes the groups are larger and sometimes they are smaller. Keep this in mind when trying to count the buzzards in the tree.

Got buzzards in a tree?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Wilderness Beauty - Part Three - Swamp

Swamp

Although there is magnificent beauty in nature, that beauty can quite often hide dangers if you fail to be aware of your surroundings.

Got swamp?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Gear Pics - H&R Tamer .410 Shotgun

Snake Charmer

This is a versatile and lightweight shotgun that makes an excellent camp gun. It's a break open (single shot) .410 gauge shotgun that features an automatic shell ejection system. It has a barrel length of 20 inches and an overall length of slightly more than 34 inches. It also has a matte-finish nickel receiver and barrel with a synthetic stock. The synthetic stock also has an integrated shell holder that allows additional rounds to be carried quite easily. It has a full choke with a 3 inch chamber and weighs in at only 6 pounds. The shotgun scabbard shown in the above picture is an optional accessory that wasn't included with the shotgun. 

Got snake charmer?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Rolling Hills

Rolling Hills

Very few places can match the beauty and splendor of the great outdoors.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Preppers, Homesteaders and Survivalists - Gardens, Guns and Gear

Most people are basically gregarious in nature. Our very nature encourages us to want to be around or involved with other people. Labels are simply a way we can identify ourselves with others when we find ourselves struggling with a situation on an individual basis. It is comforting to us when we know that there are others struggling to survive in a similar manner. It is also important when we have encouragement and support from others of a similar mind to help guide us in our struggles.

While there are many paths to reach a destination, we do not always take the same one. This is not a bad thing but is due more to the spark of individualism that can found in all of us. This spark of individualism can grow if it is fed the right fuel into an enthusiasm that can help you reach your goals. The path you take isn’t as important as your intended destination. Although the paths we take may be different, our destination is quite often the same.

Have you ever stopped and asked for directions? Chances are you have done so at some time in your life. Depending upon how many people you have asked for directions, you’ll probably get an equal number of ways to get there. Some ways will be more direct, some will be more confusing and others will leave you wondering why anyone would go in that direction in the first place. You may have even got some really bad directions and found yourself more lost than you were in the beginning. Preppers, homesteaders and survivalists probably have more in common than most of them care to admit. Most all of us seek to solve our problems and reach our goals in our own and quite often unique way. It’s more a matter of the path we take having a different label.

Does it really matter that the road we take is labeled differently? It shouldn’t. There are probably several different ways that you can travel when going to work, the store or to simply  visit a friend or relative. Is one way better than the other? It’s probably not. Are some people going to be more comfortable going in one direction than another? Sure they will. This is especially true if it’s something that may be somewhat more familiar to them or seem less confusing.  The important thing is that you reach your destination and don’t get lost on the way.

Not everyone is going to be a master gardener, a gunsmith or a gear guru. Your first gardening efforts may yield little more than a dead stick in a pot. To some people, a gun may seem little more than a stick with a trigger on it. Others may wonder why someone would need all that gear that’s talked about so much. In truth, all these things have a place and their use is quite often limited only by your experience, your skills and your knowledge.


It’s the experience, skills and knowledge that we have gained as we travel our different paths that will ultimately help us to reach the same destination.

There’s a sign post up ahead...destination... self reliance.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Prepping and Self Reliance - Limiting Your Dependence on Technology

Prepping and self reliance becomes more of a routine activity once it has become a part of your normal lifestyle. There are numerous ways you can achieve your goals but almost all will depend on you being able to survive with less technology, a greater dependence on your knowledge and skills and being aware of your own physical limitations. Many people currently live with varying degrees of technology. While a certain amount of technology will be necessary in order to survive, if you truly wish to develop a more independent lifestyle, you will need to limit your dependence on technology. Unfortunately, less technology quite often means additional work and planning is going to be required on your part.

Your lifestyle choice to be more self reliant will depend on a couple of major factors and these factors should be included in your planning. Your ability to become more self reliant will be largely determined in most cases by your skills and physical abilities. It is important to remember that your ability to become more self reliant will be affected more by what you know and can do than the items you have stockpiled.  Realizing that your skills and abilities are your most important resource is critical to becoming more self reliant and less dependent upon technology. Technology has been instrumental in making our lives easier but it has also made us more dependent upon it.

When seeking to become more self reliant, one of the most limiting factors is your physical ability. Even some of the basic tasks of everyday life can be almost impossible to achieve if you have limited physical abilities. How far can you walk if necessary? How big of a load, if any, can you carry at one time?  Or do plan to simply drag it? Limited physical abilities will mean focusing your efforts and planning accordingly to make up for any lack of physical ability on your part. Even simple chores can be labor-intensive and almost impossible to complete without a minimum amount of technology if your physical abilities are limited. Walking requires no dependence on technology but even a simple bicycle may get you a lot farther down the road. If you have physical limitations that limit your abilities, you will need to alter your plans to compensate for deficiencies in this area or increase the level of your physical fitness, if possible.

A lack of skills is another limiting factor that can affect your ability to become more self reliant. Even simple tasks will require rudimentary skill sets in order for you to maintain a self reliant lifestyle. Can you perform simple repairs on basic items or do you need to call a repairman? Or do you simply rush out and buy a replacement? Unfortunately, these options may not always be available to you and they can also be quite costly. Being able to use basic hand tools, perform simple repairs or knowing an alternative strategy to accomplish a task can make a huge difference in your level of self reliance. Quite often you can find a low-tech solution to your problem.

Less dependence on technology can mean that a lot of things will be harder to accomplish, not impossible, just harder. The trick is to remember to work smarter and not harder. A little “brain power” will usually save you a lot of “muscle power”.


Got low tech solutions?


Staying above the water line!


Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Cold Feet

Got cold feet?


Staying above the water line!


Riverwalker

Simple Survival Gear Mods - Taking A Walk in the Dark - Lighting Up Your Hiking Stick

A stick is one of the simplest pieces of survival gear you can modify. You can put just about anything on a stick that you may need for your survival and do it in an inexpensive manner. With just a little imagination and creativity on your part, you can adapt your hiking stick to fit all of your survival needs. You can even light it up!

Now the easiest way to light up your hiking stick is to tape or strap a flashlight on it but your stick just won’t look right. Here’s a way to incorporate a flashlight on a stick that is not only very functional but won’t detract from the sleek, stream-lined appearance every survival gear enthusiast seeks when making their own survival gear.  It’s also an easy DIY project that most anyone can do with very little time and effort. 

All you need is a stick (this is a main component), a flashlight (this is the other main component) that has a removable end cap and is equipped with either a push button or slide switch on the barrel of the flashlight and a small screw to fasten the end cap to your hiking stick.

“Borrowing” Mrs. RW’s Streamlight Stinger for this project because hers has a plastic case, a drill wasn’t required to put a hole in the end cap, a small screw was then inserted through the hole and used to attach the flashlight end cap to the stick.  The flashlight was then screwed back on the end cap. That’s all there is to the assembly process...quick and easy. Some wood glue or Gorilla glue should be used for a more permanent installation.  The glue was left out of the process in this instance, just in case Mrs. RW decides she wants her Stinger back.

The flashlight is now the handle of the walking stick. The flashlight is still functional and it gives the stick a great customized look and feel. You'll also need to use a flashlight with a diameter that's fairly close to the diameter of your hiking stick for the best results.

Ready to take a walk in the dark...?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Wilderness Beauty - Part Two

Wilderness Beauty - Part Two

There is a quiet serenity in the beauty of a wilderness setting.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Wilderness Beauty

Wilderness Beauty

There is a unique quality in the beauty of a wilderness setting.


Caution: High Resolution Pic (56K beware).

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Personalized Prepping - Part One - Doing It Your Way

There’s a lot of advice out there for people when it comes to prepping and being prepared. Unfortunately, it’s often based on personal experiences and the preferences of the person giving that advice. While this is not a bad thing, your prepping should always be personalized to satisfy your needs or the needs of your family.

There are a certain number of basic things that every prepper needs to do but how you achieve that goal can vary greatly from one person to the next. While a certain plan or strategy may be great for some, it may not work for others. Your basic goal of being prepared may be the same but it may be vastly different in how you accomplish it. Figuring out the best way for yourself to achieve your goals is half the battle.

My basic point is not to be afraid to do it your way. Figure out the way that works best for you and go with it. This will make being prepared a little easier. The basic concept of “one size fits all” doesn’t always apply when it comes to being prepared. Do what works best in your own personal situation. Modify your plans and change them as necessary to build a personalized plan for preparedness.

Whether it’s your food storage, your emergency fund or your bug-out plans, you also need to take advantage of your own personal experiences to be properly prepared. After all, experience is the best teacher.

Prepared to do it your way?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Stealth

Stealth

This is about as stealthy as you can get!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker





Hidden Signs of Financial Collapse - Part Two - The State of Personal Finances

The current personal finances of a lot of people are woefully inadequate should they suffer even a small life-changing event. There are numerous things that can create a crisis for your personal finances. With the proper planning, these events will have less of an impact. The chances of you experiencing one of these common, everyday occurrences is a lot more likely than you may realize.

Unfortunately, the personal finances of many people are almost a “mirror” image of those of our government. Many people also refuse to take the necessary steps to correct the deficiencies and only do so when forced by the circumstances. They don’t want to give up those “little luxuries” that are now viewed as a necessity.They have a tendency to spend more than they make with little regard to the impact this could have on their lives if something goes wrong. People often complain about the economy as a whole but haven’t taken the necessary steps to get their own “economic household” in shape. Unlike the government, they won’t be able to print more money when a financial setback happens.

So what are the most common occurrences that can affect your financial well-being?  While there are numerous small events (broken appliances, leaky water pipes, etc.) that can happen, there are two basic events that can have a severe effect on your finances. One of these basic events is unemployment. The sudden loss of a job due to cutbacks, layoffs or “down-sizing” can be brutal on your personal finances. The other basic event that can have a devastating effect on your finances is a major health problem(s). Either of these events can have a devastating effect if you aren’t prepared.

Roughly 50% (depending upon whose statistics you use) of all Americans live from paycheck to paycheck. This is not a place you want to find yourself. If that paycheck suddenly stops as result of unemployment, you are going to be in a world of hurt if you suddenly find yourself without an income. Even though you may be able to receive some form or type of unemployment assistance, it will normally be less than adequate to maintain your current lifestyle or provide enough financial stability to get you through a crisis of this nature. Those benefits will also cease to exist at some time in the future. When you consider that 1 out of 3 persons will become unemployed at some time in their lives, it’s only a matter of time till you find yourself confronted with this problem.  

A major health crisis can also be equally as devastating. Even with good health insurance, you may still be confronted with staggering medical bills if the worst should happen. If you find yourself unemployed, you may also lose your health insurance or be unable to continue it due to the high cost of premiums. This can make a severe health problem even more cause for alarm where your personal finances are concerned. When you consider that 1 out of every 4 persons will suffer some sort of major health crisis in their lives, this is something that simply can’t be ignored if you want to be properly prepared financially.

So what can be done to limit the effects of these occurrences? One of the most basic things you can do is to establish a personal emergency fund. The establishment of an emergency fund is of the utmost importance. If your source of income suddenly disappears, you will need a replacement source to help cover routine expenses. Even a small emergency fund to cover your basic expenses for several months, will help you to deal with a crisis until other options can be utilized or additional income can be obtained. This will put you ahead of the game when you consider that most people have little or no savings and limited sources of credit available to them if a crisis should occur. If at all possible, an even more substantial emergency fund that can cover your expenses for six months to a year will be even better.

Another thing that can be done is to improve your job skills. Quite often a lack of skills can affect your employability. If there are layoffs or cutbacks, you may need a different type of skill other than the one you are currently using to take advantage of the employment opportunities that may still be available. A part-time job in another field can also allow you to develop additional skills and may even create an additional source of income. This extra income could also be used to build an emergency fund or make your current one even more substantial. Many part-time jobs also pay extremely well, especially those associated with certain trades such as mechanics, carpenters, electricians or plumbers. It may even be possible for you develop skills in several of these areas.

The other area you may need to concentrate on is to improve the status of your health. Get regular checkups and work to improve the overall state of your fitness. Devote some additional time and effort into improving your health. Don’t wait until the ambulance shows up at your house. Even a minor health crisis can have a big effect on the best of plans.

So why are these hidden signs of economic uncertainty? Chances are you won’t see it until it happens. In general, most people don’t even know the name of their neighbor down the street, let alone the state of their neighbor’s personal finances. You usually won’t know they are behind on their car payments or mortgage until a foreclosure sign pops up in the yard or their car disappears out of the driveway. You may have even read about a big layoff from a company where they may have been working without realizing your neighbor just lost their job. You may even be unaware of other family members who are experiencing financial difficulties because they may be too embarrassed to say anything.

There was a time when friends and family were available to help out during a crisis. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case in the majority of situations. As the effects of a bad economy widen, the vast majority of extended family members or friends may be in worse financial shape than you are. They simply may not be able to offer you any assistance because they are dealing with the effects of their own personal financial crisis.

Disclaimer: This is merely an opinion of this writer and should not be considered professional advice of any kind.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker 

Projects Under Contruction

There are some special projects under construction that are coming in the next few days. Hopefully, they may be of benefit to everyone. Unfortunately, there is one major drawback. Sometimes special projects take more time to complete than it does to write about them. 


It may even be necessary to break them down into a series of posts in order for them to be as informative as possible. More later.


Staying above the water line!


Riverwalker