What non food items would you want if the economy crashed .

     Its late I shouldn't be doing a post of this kind this late . But if you knew the dollar was dead and inflation and shortages were going to be everyday life what items would you buy. Skip food, guns and ammo. Think about no gas, empty shelves, rolling black outs, Rationing of every thing . Its a real possibility, with so few major retailers a debit card could become a ration card .

   I sited the books 299 day in a comment from yesterday as a good example of what the free market would be like. All savings and investments confiscated allotments based on job and loyalty levels. Use a realistic amount like 1000$ and see what gaps need plugged in on hand items. I am still thinking and adjusting my wish list but here is a start.

A 100 watt solar panel  150$
1500 watt inverter      150$
A 7 speed bike with flat proof tires used   40$ + tires
Wood heater   0 homemade
Seeds and fertilizer  50$
5 more 20 lb. propane cylinders  used and refilled  125$

  This short list is about 600$ The list is not complete or a doomsday list its stuff that has everyday uses. Between camping and hobbies I am in fair shape but everyone has gaps. A economic crash may or may not be the end of life as we know it . None reading this were alive in the depression and most would not cope well if it happens. Just something to consider .

More thoughts on a E bike.

    Today I got on the computer and started looking at E bikes, prices ,options speeds and distances . I looked at E bike and motorized bikes about 5 years ago . Wow the difference's between then and now on what is available and set ups is huge.
    I found I can get a 750 watt front hub and controls for around 300 $ and turn that 10$  10 speed into an electric bike. Or find a 3 or 7 speed bike and do a rear hub. Now if I were to do this the battery pack would be a 48 volt system and 4 SLA batteries are heavy along with my 264 lb. bulk would be 320 lb. That's a lot to peddle down the road .

     A  better way would be a sturdy 7 speed with a 500 watt hub with a 24 watt battery pack . Every thing new would still be under 500$ but no peddle assist just a twist throttle for grades and speed boosts. 

   These costs are not a casual amount to me but something to think about. If the world was to drop the dollar inflation will be unimaginable . Gas would be unavailable to regular people. Our 6 million barrel a day doesn't cover agri ,military and emergency services . A 24 volt bike could be powered with 2  30 watt solar panels wired in series in 5 hours . A roman march was 20 miles in a day on a  E bike 60 miles is doable in a day. Is the cost of an E bike worth it I am still undecided,  is it worth a little thought and research DEFINANTLY !!!

A fat man can ride a bike.

   Last week when we where camping I rode my bike a lot . Now most camp ground are fairly level so bike riding is normal for both the young and old . It is a great way to look around and say hello and be sociable . At a campground a bike is quiet and slower than a car or golf cart and its easy to carry with you in a camper.

    Now I will come clean I had not been on a bike since I was a kid till last summer. Last summer I picked up a 10 speed at a yard sale for 10$ and rode it a few times at the house oiled every thing checked it out made sure it was useable . Every prepper /survivalist should have a bike, right ? Jim Dankin preaches against cars and associated cost .He praises riding a bike, well that 10 speed showed me I was OLD ,Fat, Out of shape . I  rode it once 2 miles and I was hurting in my legs sucking air sounding like a diesel truck and swearing I love my truck the last mile home. Now don't laugh could you ride a bike 2 miles ?
    Now last week I rode 5 miles never broke a sweat passed all the kids and adults took small hills easily . My wife said I spent more time on the bike than with her . I did I felt like a kid having fun. This is what was different than last year . I bought a NEW BIKE .

   Last fall I was in Sam's Club buying supply's for the BBQ and walked passed their  mark down corner . There sat a Yukon Trail Navigator marked 82.50$ no keys . Ok this is an electric bike with a 250 watt motor and a 10 amp 24 volt battery pack. It normally sells for 498 $ I jumped on that deal .

    Now I didn't fix it till the week before we went to Guntersville .The bike is fast, it is well made but you have to get it adjusted right to your comfort . It is a little weak on steep hills but great on flats and slopes . You have to pedal but it cuts the work in half . If you have ever thought about a bike for just in case but know your out of shape an electric may be a solution . The bike suppose to have an assist range of 25 plus miles and a speed of 15 miles an hour.

http://www.amazon.com/Yukon-Trails-Outback-Electric-Mountain/dp/B00NPY7WAY

A picture or two. this is why i camp.

    Sights like this is why I  love to camp and believe in a Supreme Being.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Sunset over lake from the lodge and across the campground.

 

Going camping .

     Will be gone for the next week to the lake. Me and the wife have not been camping since October and the urge has killed us. Every time I asked if she wanted to take a trip she said it was to cold or some other lame excuse but last week she said lets restock and organize the camper and go .

   Now we have always took a shake down trip before camping season got going good but this is way early. Suits me I need a few days away. The bad thing is how wet it has been around here now with 4 sunny days coming I could get a lot of things done here . To  heck with it  Id rather be camping .

    Next year I will camp in the winter in south florida for a week or two . Four months has been to long . The wife can come or stay home but I am going.

What is your comfort level ?

     Every one is different in there needs of comfort .For my wife its 72 degrees and a 55 inch T.V. and a man slave .For me its a fan a DR Pepper and internet. My youngest daughter doesn't have a clue what is her level of comfort, she bitches about everything. My son has a very modest level of comfort that he is happy with . I went and saw him today except for the rain he seemed happy in what my wife and daughter would consider hell.

     This got me thinking about my minimum level of comfort. What would I want if my life went to shit. My thoughts on this are still evolving but its close to what I envision if SHTF was to take place.

Land 1 acre
Home 16 X 24 or camper
Water source
Power 400 watt solar panels, 400 watt inverter 1500 watt inverter
Fan,19 inch TV, DVD player, radio, computer , tools, lights
Wood heat , propane stove/oven
Small truck ,bike

   These are just a few of major things that I would want to be comfortable. Now most of us have much more but have you ever looked at what your minimum levels are and do you have them if life turns on you?
   Now I have been fortunate in life to have most all this but I still need 200 watts more solar and the 1500 watt inverter. My line of thinking is "I want my minimum available if present levels fall ."

Making basic everything bread .

     Over the last few months I have been doing a lot of baking. I have made a variety of recipe's but the one that seems to work well for loaf bread, pizza crusts, calzone's ,rolls, cheese bread. 

3 Cups  A.P. flour
1/2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 tbl oil
1/4 tsp salt or a bit more
1 cup warm water

   Ok that's the basic ingredient's mix , bloom the yeast in the water with the sugar let sit for 10 minutes or more I prefer it to bloom for 30 minutes . Ok mix it all together in a mixer a food processor a bread machine or by hand . depending on the crust you want knead 5 minute's for soft crust 10 for harder crust. Cover let rise for 45 minute's  plop on counter dust with flour cut in 1/2 for 2 loafs ,2 regular pizza crusts or 1 deep dish, cheese bread or make a dozen rolls. For a chewy bread let sit over night.
 




  this is a ultra thin crust pizza I made for my wife . Was good but a pain to roll out . For a pizza I add onion and garlic powder to the mix for soft loaf bread I add a couple tsps. dry milk. Now if you want whole Wheat increase the rise time and let it cook longer .

   Now if you have never made bread before I recommend doing rolls ( double the yeast YUM ). If it flopps feed them to the dog, if they are great lie and tell everyone how hard it is.

   A lot of people think this is a waste of time but a GOOD pizza is about 2.50$ ,cheese bread 8 x13 size about 2.50 $  yeast rolls 50 cents a dozen . I make bread on cold and rainy days because the oven warms the house the smell calms nerves  and pizza and cheese bread ends the question of WHAT,s FOR DINNER.

A change makes for nice profits.

     This has been a long week ,last week was snow this week was rain and then ice. Friday was clear and the BBQ was busy. The last 4 weeks I have been cooking Baby back ribs  along with Boston Butts I should have been cooking them all along  been running through 10 or 12 slabs a weekend and the same amount of butts. The ribs have made  a sales increase of 200$ a weekend . With a profit increase of 100$ plus . In the middle of the winter it has been a welcome surprise .
     Normally I have to dip into savings from Christmas till mid April but this year I have been able to add a few hundred to savings . Next week I will be booking a 2 week stay for Big Lagoon campground in June and it will have to be paid for up front, nice to be able to.

    I dragged the old trailer frame into the clearing out front today if the weather breaks will be starting on my last trailer build ever. I know the next 5 days it will rain but I will have it in place and can get it leveled . I promise lots of pictures once I start on it.

A couple of pics of my sons camperstead in the snow.

      I snapped these pictures when I delivered the heater and my son back to his place.

    The snow was a wet heavy  and as the picture shows the poach wasn't built for a load. Every thing we used was scrap or found .
 
 The camper I bought 5 years ago from a man that was headed to the scrap yard to see if they would buy it as is. I gave 200$ for it and spent 2 more on floors and walls. It is a 1976 Layton .And if you notice he now has 2 15 watt panels and a 10 watt at 40 watts he is at more than enough power. A friend checked on him today and he said heater was working good and power on every thing was at 98% or full ( we have had clouds for 3 out of the 4 days he has been there).