Well reading MM's posts it appears we are seeing movement on the peakoil front..Out of curiosity: how does PO figure into the average monkey's plans? what specific preparations are you making with an eye towards depletion? I have envisioned PO the be the trigger for tshtf that y2k was not. Figure its a good time to get into "bicycle shape" again, and have been grabbing bicycle repair /maint books. Besides transport, a bike on rollers mcgyvered to charge batteries may be a handy rig to have. building garden soils has a generic benefit whether its PO or some other problem. I tilled twice the garden plot with the neighbors gas powered tiller now, while gas is readily available and cheap. Anybody else?
Since I seem to be the the impetus for this thread I guess I'll start it off. I started several years ago buying the most gas miserly vehicles I can find. I am investing in upgrades to my diesel truck to boost MPG as much as possible. I have a 4 cylinder Suzuki Sidekick that I keep as a GOOD vehicle (get out of Dodge). I have started learning about making bio-diesel and am going to get the needed equipment and supplies. I have a couple of old tractors one gas, one diesel that have no electronics to fry in an EMP. And of course one hayburner.(3 yr. old colt). I am planning on adding a stout mule or donkey also. I am looking at a 4 wheel utility vehicle for the farm. Like a Kawasaki Mule or a polaris etc. I just came across "Bad Boy Buggies", electric powered 4 wheel drive carts. I am thinking that with a solar charger these might be a great asset in a post carbon, post shtf world. http://www.badboybuggies.com/ I am in the planing stages for a new house and it will be as energy effecient as possible. With solar and generator back-up secondary systems, that can be made to be primary if needed. Other than that it is standard survival preps. Beans and bullets.
I had some more thoughts on this. One thing that anyone , anywhere can do is plant edible, renewable food plants. I bought an old farm several years ago. The owner had gone through the depression, dust bowl, WW ll, etc. I found wild plants growing along every fence row. Onions, polk salad, rhubarb, mint. And dozens of fruit trees. Good hardy plants and trees that needed no maintenace or replanting each season. His son told me that his dad had planted all of those so they would never go hungery. I have a new place with lots of acreage and I will be doing the same. I am starting with fruit trees but as soon as I get some fence rows cleared I will be planting wild edibles, including grape vines. I think even someone in an urban setting could plant some greens around their yard or in a lot or alley, even a window box.
For what it's worth, we have a head to head, polaris vs. John Deere on 4 wheelers here on the construction site. Farm type, not recreational. Polaris is head and shoulders ahead so far. Less problems with maintenance, better standing the abuse, etc.
I have never seen these before, but I like the idea. There is a dealer about 30 miles from the house so I may have to take a look at them the next time I'm down that way. To me skills is what people should be looking at for PO. Think 1800's, when it starts sliding I think it will be like stepping off a cliff. You only take one step but it is a killer. Learn to garden, start a fire (don't laugh, we went on a homeschooling event with some people and had a little cook out and they were amazed that I could start a fire without paper), dry food, blacksmithing, and trapping. Along with other 1800's skills, remember that supplies/preps can be lost or stolden but skills will stay with you where ever you go. OGM
Agree, post carbon sounds alot like dodge city in the1800's and they did just fine.Good point!!!(differences being:we have more people, more knowledge,self loading metallic cartrigde wepons, the electrical, water and highway infrastructure)<
I find that scary and heartening at the same time( We are going to be real popular among the yuppie scum...charcloth will be going for 2 cans of peaches,or a second bowl of sunflower soup. Speaking of fire.. i just tryed igniting some shelled sunflower seeds( we had em next to the croutons). the oil does burn but they gotta get up to temperature first ( One of the Man vs wild episodes had Bear lighting some kind of acorn or hickory nut as a torch, it burned a long time).... next experiment will be shells intact.Sunflowers grow easily up here we alway throw somes eeds around the flower beds.. Aalong the 1800's lines: buckskining as a hobby maybe something to get into. it encompasses all the old skills..
