The Bug Out Bike-Nashbar Single Speed 29er Mountain Bike

The solution for the bug out bike has been delivered.  The unopened box sits waiting to be born into my gear.  The Nashbar Single-Speed 29er Mountain Bike - MEDIUM is a perfect fit for survival situations due to its simplicity, adaptability, and affordability.

The single speed is all about simplicity.  The bug out bike will take the headache out of bike gear maintenance.  Don’t let the racket of a derailleur compromise your stealth.  This single speed does not have shifters or any derailleur.

The mountain bike is also built for adaptability.  The aluminum frame provides an efficient strength to weight ratio for additional durability. The oversized 29er tires provide exceptional mobility over obstacles on and off road. 

Nashbar delivers affordability for the bug out bike.  Finding a quality single speed mountain bike is like looking for supplies after a devastating event.  Usually, all the inexpensive options are heavy and the quality options are overpriced or unavailable.  Nashbar delivers a lightweight single speed at an affordable price tag usually around $400.

Go for the gear that will have you counting down the days to a survival situation like it was Christmas.  Go for simplicity.  Go for adaptability.  Go for affordability.  Go for the Nashbar Single-Speed 29er Mountain bike.

Riding above the water line.

Riverwalker

Urban Survival Tools - Part Three - Making a Positive Connection

When it comes to transportation in an urban environment, you probably won’t be throwing a saddle on your horse when you need to “get out of Dodge”. You’ll most likely be cranking up the four-wheeled urban version instead.  There is a simple tool that will be needed to fix one of the main problems that occurs with a mechanical form of transportation. This tool is a good set of heavy duty battery booster cables.

Whether it’s an interior dome light left on, a weak alternator or simply a weak battery, a good set of heavy duty battery booster cables can often “make your day”. Unless you have a manual transmission in your vehicle, there’s little else that can help get a vehicle with a weak battery started (pushing a vehicle with an automatic transmission doesn't work). Until you do get it started, you won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Don’t waste your money on a cheap set of booster cables. These could create a possible fire hazard and this would create additional problems you don’t need. A good heavy duty set of booster cables aren't that expensive ($20 to $25) and you’ll be glad you had them when and if they are needed.

Just remember to keep a set of booster cables in your vehicle.

Got booster cables?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Avoiding a Survival Crisis - The Importance of Routine Maintenance

Many times a crisis is one that we have unwittingly created ourselves and our actions will often determine whether or not we will survive that crisis. It’s the little things we often ignore or fail to give proper attention that will quite literally turn a small disaster into an even bigger one.

One thing that is easily forgotten is routine maintenance. There is a reason why they call it routine. It quite literally means what it says...routine. The routine maintenance of your vehicles, equipment and other items should be included as a part of your daily routine. It will make surviving a crisis a lot easier.

Items have a tendency to wear out, break or simply go bad and then they will fail to work properly when they may be needed most (i.e., Murphy’s Law). The solution is to avoid that happening at the worst possible time. Things will last longer and work a lot better if you give them the proper care and provide it with adequate maintenance on a regular basis.

There is going to be a cost factor that is associated with regular maintenance but it will usually be far less than the cost of the needed repairs that may be incurred otherwise. Many times simple maintenance will allow you to recognize a problem before major and very costly repairs may be required. Failing to do the proper maintenance on your equipment is a disaster waiting to happen.

The most important benefit of routine maintenance is the ability to avoid costly repairs and a breakdown at the worst possible time. Things will still break and wear out but it shouldn’t happen as frequently. As a result, you might just make it easier to survive with a little routine maintenance.

Got routine maintenance?

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Stealth

Stealth

This is about as stealthy as you can get!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker





Simple Survival Tools - The Tire Pressure Gauge

Even the simplest of tools can be critical to your survival and are often overlooked until it’s too late to avoid a simple but almost certain disaster. Our daily survival often depends upon our means of transportation and without some due diligence on our part we may end up going nowhere fast. We can fall victim to our own neglect and a failure to do one of the simplest of things can lead to a disaster of our own making. The tire pressure gauge is a tool that can help you avoid one of the most common disasters that are faced by hundreds of people each day.

Small, inexpensive and compact they are an indispensable item. They allow you keep your tires properly inflated and help you to avoid excessive wear on your vehicle’s tires. New tires aren’t cheap and you need to get the most value and use of the ones you have already. They can also warn you if you’ve got a slow leak in a tire before it becomes the flat that leaves you stranded in the middle of nowhere. A tire pressure gauge can also help you avoid the “I didn’t know the spare tire was flat.” disaster that seems to catch people unaware and they realize that a bad situation has just gotten a lot worse.  

It takes a lot less time to check the air pressure in the tires of your vehicle on a regular basis than it does to wait for a tow truck or for someone to bring you an air tank. This is a habit that should be a part of your regular routine. There are enough disasters out there without adding ones of our own making, especially ones that can be easily avoided.

Probably the easiest way to fit this into your routine is to make it a part of another routine act that is performed on a regular basis. Simply take the time to check your tires when you gas up. You’re already stopped and it takes a while to fill the tank. So spend a little extra time and use that tire pressure gauge to check your tires and the spare as well. They’re cheap enough that you can keep one in every vehicle.

Otherwise, you may end up going nowhere fast!

Checked the spare tire on your BOV lately?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Advanced Prepping 101 - The Dedicated Bug-Out Vehicle

It’s a simple fact that most people don’t have a dedicated vehicle for bugging out and will use their everyday means of transportation for this purpose. While any vehicle will work for most daily transportation needs, many vehicles may lack the necessary qualities for use as an efficient bug-out vehicle. There are some important considerations that should be taken into account that will help you decide if you may want to have a dedicated BOV.

The first consideration is cost. An additional vehicle will involve the need for extra insurance, maintenance or fuel costs. These items cost money and there aren’t a lot of ways to avoid these. Buying used will save some money but may require additional maintenance costs or upkeep to make them viable options.

The second consideration is capacity. If your entire family or group won’t fit easily inside your chosen means of transportation, you’re going to be in trouble before you even get started. Numerous test runs and actual use of my chosen BOV has also revealed an area that is often overlooked. You not only need space for each person but you will need room for their gear (BOB) and additional things like food and water. My chosen BOV, a large van (1 ton) which has a seating capacity of 15 persons, can comfortably hold 8 persons and their gear and sufficient food and water for several days if necessary.

The third consideration is the type of vehicle. There are quite a few possibilities in this area that may work to your advantage. A pop-up style camper or small travel trailer, a pick-up with a camper unit, a small RV or motorhome are definite possibilities and will depend upon your capacity needs and the amount available in your budget. Depending upon where you will be bugging out to, you may require additional things such as 4 wheel drive capacity.

The fourth consideration is the range of your vehicle. Your vehicle will need to get you quickly and safely to your bug out location. A vehicle loaded with people that is pulling a trailer loaded with gear will require more fuel than in normal circumstances. More fuel may not be available due to power outages, etc. and may limit the distance you can travel before requiring additional fuel. If you wind up with an empty fuel tank, you will have a serious problem. It is vital that the range of your chosen BOV will get you there without the need for additional fuel. Carrying extra fuel is an option but it takes up space and increases the weight you are carrying. This is space that could be used for other needed items. Consideration should be given to vehicles with larger fuel tanks or additional tanks to help avoid this problem.

The fifth consideration is living space. Your BOV may become your home away from home and you will need it to provide shelter from the elements and some measure of security for you and your family. Motels and hotels will fill up quickly during an evacuation. The evacuation of a large number of people will put a strain on all the available resources. Even with a good emergency fund and plenty of cash you may need to be prepared to spend time living in your BOV, even if it is only for one night. A vehicle that provides a sheltered place to sleep and live for your family will quickly become a valuable item.

The sixth consideration is the ability to not attract attention or to go undetected. This can be your best form of protection. A vehicle that blends into the surroundings may be one of the safest options. An expensive motorhome or large RV may attract the attention of those seeking to change their status at your expense. A Jeep 4X4 with a great camo paint job will attract a lot more attention on the highway than you may desire. Cheaper vehicles are also less of a target when things and people start to get out of control due to a crisis or emergency.

The final consideration is optional equipment and ease of maintenance and repair. Will your choice of vehicle allow you to tow a trailer with extra gear, mount a winch, or have the fuel capacity that gives it an extended range? Even simple things like a luggage rack on the roof could come in handy. You will also need something that will allow you to do simple maintenance and repairs should they become necessary. The ability to make simple repairs to your vehicle without specialized tools or additional help will be a big benefit during an emergency.

While there are other things that you may consider important when choosing a BOV, these are some of the basic considerations that should be taken into account that will help you decide on a proper BOV. Having a dedicated bug-out vehicle will also give you the option of having many needed items loaded in advance and ready to go. This will save you additional time in an emergency.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

The Bug Out Van - Doing a Test Run

Last year I gave my bug out van a good workout while working the Texas Independence Relay. It's about time for me to give it another workout and make sure I have all my bases covered. Putting in a little practice to make sure your vehicles and gear is going to work the way you want and when you need it can be crucial. The time to find out if you've forgot some small detail is not during a crisis or emergency. Knowing everything is going to work ahead of time can save you grief later.

An oil change, a check of the tires (including the spare) and a little gear re-organization is in the works. I also had to change out the serpentine drive belt because it was starting to show some wear and made a little squeaky noise at low idle. A quick belt change (20 minutes) and the problem was solved. Mrs. RW even gave it a good wash job so that it would look as nice as it runs. The tinted windows are also nice and gives me a little more privacy without detracting from the ability to view traffic around me when I'm on the road.

Give your vehicles a workout once in a while and you'll know if you can rely on them in a crisis. Find out if you need to do a little extra work to avoid any major problems. You can check them out good but until you put it to the test you never know what may be going to happen. It's a lot better to have a breakdown or other failure at a non-critical time than during an actual emergency.

Got van?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Frugal Prepping - Free Vehicle Maintenance Record Spreadsheet

One of the best ways to save money is to keep track of your expenses. This will keep you from wrecking your budget if and when your expenses get out of hand. One of the biggest expenses in anyone’s budget is the maintenance of your vehicles. The cost of decent transportation probably ranks right at the top of the list, just behind food and shelter. Let’s face facts. A car or truck will eat up a lot of money in a very short time even though good transportation is a real necessity for everyone. Keeping track of your maintenance expenses will let you know right away if things are starting to get out of your control.

I’m offering a simple spreadsheet for anyone to use to help keep track of their vehicle maintenance costs. You simply enter the starting mileage one time and the mileage at the end of each month. The mileage totals will be automatically calculated for you. It will also give you monthly totals for maintenance expenses as well as a yearly total. It also includes an up to date total for maintenance costs per mile. While figuring the fuel costs per mile is pretty easy, figuring your maintenance costs per mile is a little more involved. It includes categories for most vehicle maintenance items and is in the form of a single page printout. It is not password protected and may be modified for your use. You will need to be familiar with using Excel in order to use this spreadsheet. Make sure to save a copy in a different place just in case you accidentally change one of the formulas. Always keep a back-up copy! I included comments to help get you started.

I’ve also included a screenshot of the single page vehicle maintenance record above.

You can preview and download the Vehicle Maintenance Record Spreadsheet (35.0 Kb) here:

http://www.box.net/shared/rfyb6u606q

Due to the overwhelming response to my Food Inventory Spreadsheet, I thought this vehicle maintenance spreadsheet may also be of value to others. So before that lovable old wreck that you treasure so much totally wrecks your budget, it’s time to get a handle on your vehicle expenses.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Bug Out Vehicle - Consider a Combo Unit

Hi Everyone!

I'd like to thank RW for letting me do a few guest posts on things I like to ramble on about. I've seen a few items about the ultimate bug out vehicle, so I thought I'd toss in my humble opinion on the subject. I'm not going into what the best would be, just what you may need and or should consider having to meet your needs. I’m sure my vehicles would be way down on anyone's list, but it's what I have and sometimes you have to make do with what you have.

Depending on how many people and what you need haul, the size of your vehicle has to be semi-comfortable for your party. Six people in a single cab pickup, with preps, won’t do for a 400 mile ride. Are you hauling a trailer? What's on it? Got a decent hitch, sway control?

Let's look at what you have or need. If you have a Jeep or such, how much and how many people will fit in it? I had one, and I promise, not much! If you have a pickup with a shell or camper on it, pulling a trailer, you can get quite a bit in it and the trailer.

Here's what I have ready to go. I have a Dodge dually with a V10, yes, sucks down the gas, but can tow anything and a towbar to pull my Suzuki Sidekick, a lil butt plug convertible. I can load most of my stuff into the Suzuki, the rest into my Dodge which has a shell on it and gives me a temporary shelter at least.

There is NO way I can take everything I'd like or need or desire between these 2 vehicles, as I'm a tool geek, but I can get most all my preps into them along with a few small toolboxes, my generator, chainsaw and still have room for a couple people in back. It might not be comfy but it works.

My point here is, look at your second vehicle as a utility trailer or additional shelter, as it will use less gas than your BOV, it can also act as a trailer, or a second housing unit if it's decent sized. Use your BOV as a main vehicle, then use the lil’ thing you are towing for trips to the lake, hunting, hauling firewood, etc. You can decide what works best for you.

A cheap little car or vehicle, in addition to a big old 4x4, will be better for utility purposes on an everyday basis anytime!

Dean in AZ

You may also want to check out some of the great tips and information on different vehicle combinations and necessary gear and equipment at RV Survivalist. This is a fairly common practice among RV users and makes good sense, especially in a bug out scenario.

Riverwalker