Preparedness - What we can learn by current events.

[misteraven]

I'm not trying to fear monger or any ramp up the nonsense beyond what we see, but those of you that been on here for more than a minute have probably caught on to some of how I see the world and think about it.

 

Likely, you've skimmed or participated in my Off Grid thread. It's sort of gotten off topic, but the first few pages at least explain a bunch about what got me into the mind set of trying to not depend on anyone or any thing. Not going to lie, I'm nowhere near where I aspire to be in that regard, but I'm doing what I can and fairly certain I'm far better than the average American as far as being prepared for when life goes side ways or the wheels start coming off the world. For those of you new to the subject or unfamiliar with the posts and threads on the subject, I place huge value on individual freedom. As such, the key to freedom is independence. You earn independence and thus freedom by not putting yourself in a vulnerable position by having to rely on anyone else, most especially institutions like government or anything else managed by strangers or even people outside your control. Honestly, it seems like this should be common sense, but considering how rare it is for an individual to actually be fairly well insulated from catastrophe, whether its being diagnosed with an incurable disease, the loss of a job or loved one, earthquake, freakin zombies or a pandemic, it seems like a good time to kick off a real discussion on it to see if we can discuss and perhaps open some people up to things they can do to be more resilient for when the shit hits the fan (whatever that may be).

 

With that said, I know there's a few of you on here that are country boys. A few others that everyday carry and even a couple of you that are into the preparedness lifestyle. Not to overlap with the Off Grid thread, the Gun thread or even the Covid-19 thread, I though since there's been a few questions raised about how to prepare, that we'd formalize the discussion. Unfortunately, thanks to stupid ass TV shows like Doomsday Preppers, there's a social stigma surrounding the idea of preparedness. The tinfoil hat side of me wonders if it's engineered. You manipulate people by keeping them distracted from obvious truths. You control people by making them fearful. You maintain power by ensuring they're dependent on whatever it is you're peddling. 

 

This is a discussion intended to start waking people up to the idea of securing your position for the intent of creating resilience against the sort of shit that disrupts your life. It is not about crawling in a hole and living a fearful life, but rather the security and contentment that comes with having your shit dialed...  A hedge against when shit gets bad, while still increasing the quality of life, even if it doesn't.

 

----------

 

With that said, lets start by discussing your current situation in light of current events. I'd assume this was a big wake up call for everyone (sure was to me) that put a glaring spotlight on how prepared you really are. This is necessarily intended to deep dive down the rabbit hole as to whether Corona-19 is the start of the apocalypse or not, but based on what we're seeing, how prepared were you? What are you doing now? What would you have done, if you had a crystal ball a year ago that showed you the future up through Saturday March 14th 2pm EST?

 

Likewise, now is your chance to also ask questions or share things that work, info, websites or anything else that relates to the discussion and helps out your fellow 12oz member.

 

Once again, I'll take a minute to share a link to a podcast that I've shared several times already and that you really need to listen to (and re-listen to if you actually took my suggestion previously).

 

The Survival Podcast - Episode-2256- That Which You Can Change

Link: https://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/that-which-you-can-change

 

 

 

 

 

*By the way, zombies is generally used as a metaphor for when a society breaks down completely.

[Dirty_habiT]

I'll start off by saying that one of the things I've done to "prepare" and will continue to prepare is collecting tools and knowledge needed to service my own equipment that I own.  I don't let other people work on my cars because then I'm relying on them to be correct about what they're doing.  I could pay someone to do it but I choose not to because that isn't me being self sufficient.

 

I repair my own electronics.

I understand health well enough to know I can mostly survive on rice and protein if I had to (this is currently what my gf and I are going to be buying a lot of on Monday to ensure that even if we get through all of our other food we can still have something to eat even if it's "boring").

I know how to build a bicycle and repair one, so if we cannot get fuel, I can still get around within a limited distance.

 

A future plan for me preparing is to buy some land, very much like what @misteravendid.  It's land owners that understand "border walls" better than anyone in the city that rents for a living.  I'm not being disparaging of renting.  I rent right now, but my desire is to not do this forever, and it's also not to have a little house in the city with a little yard and neighbors I could blow a snot rocket on from my front porch.  Anyway, owning land and building your own house are one of my aspirations.

 

Speaking of those things, to do so, you either need a large pile of money saved or a way to offer value in society without being directly in the city.  PLENTY of people do this but if you're a city slicker you are not going to hear about it much because they don't talk about it much.  They're more humble IMO.

 

I won't ramble on about this too much, I'll wait to see what other people say and hopefully that will spark some more meaningful thoughts from me.  Stay safe everyone and don't trust that anyone else is going to do anything for you.  If they do you should consider it great generosity and a favor.... and be thankful.

[KILZ FILLZ]

I keep a stock of dried /canned foods year round. Not so much for boog as much for ease of camping trips. It’s nice just grabbing my large plastic bin of food and tossing in the trunk night before camp trip. Scrambling for camp food days before is an inconvenience. Same with propane for my lantern and stove. Same with water. Get some of those large 5 gal jugs and fill up at the 25c/gal machines in front of the liquor store. They don’t take up much space. Under each sink in the house is a gallon of water at all times. Have come in handy when city shuts off water unexpectedly for water main issues or while trouble shooting a leak under sink. Fully capable first aid kit in back of car at all times has come in handy in minor situations - someone cutting hand on broken beer bottle etc. 
 

Those who want help, help themselves 

 

if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail

 

 

 

[Dirty_habiT]

https://www.amazon.com/Hedpak-gallon-Plastic-Carboy-Handle-BPA/dp/B071KXGMFQ

 

These.... I have a bunch from having aquariums and needing them.  I wouldn't NOT pay $20 each for them though.  You can get them way cheaper if you go to an aquarium store that sells RODI water.

 

That's another thing.  I have a setup in my guest bathroom for making Reverse Osmosis/De Ionized (RODI) water.  It has a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter on it.  By the way you do NOT want to drink DI water, it will leach nutrients from your body and can make you very sick.  The RO water is fine.... and you could probably use RODI water to drink if you added your own nutrients/minerals back into it (I haven't looked into doing this before).  Most people just T into their RODI system after the RO stages and make large amounts of drinking water for their fridge that way.  I'll post a picture in a moment.

[Dirty_habiT]

First picture for detail, second for scale. 

 

Link to systems: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-reverse-osmosis-filters-systems/reverse-osmosis-systems.html

I don't think you're really going to find these much cheaper than BRS sells them.  You might be able to piece it together yourself from different suppliers but BRS's prices on these complete systems are good.

 

Stages go:

 

1. particulate filter (1st can, reddish color probably from iron in my city water).

2. 2x carbon "blocks" (2nd and 3rd cans from the left).

3. 2x reverse osmosis membranes (on top of first 3 stages, sitting sideways lost in a daze).

4. 2x deionization resin stages (cans 4 and 5 from the left).

 

TDS meter is the little blue thing above the DI stages.  This setup w/ 45psi water pressure from my faucet in the bathroom sink makes 5 gallons of 0 TDS water in about 40 minutes.

 

[mr.yuck]

@Dirty_habiT I understand the self reliance factor of trying to do everything yourself. I have come to find that its not always feasible. Even if I can complete the task doesnt mean that its always the best use of my time. I generally weigh the project and how long it will possibly take me. I find some one that I can pay to do the project. If I can make more money going to work than the cost of having some one else do it, then I go to work. 

[misteraven]

8 minutes ago, mr.yuck said:

@Dirty_habiT I understand the self reliance factor of trying to do everything yourself. I have come to find that its not always feasible. Even if I can complete the task doesnt mean that its always the best use of my time. I generally weigh the project and how long it will possibly take me. I find some one that I can pay to do the project. If I can make more money going to work than the cost of having some one else do it, then I go to work. 

I don't disagree with you and use that metric myself. I do try and do it myself the first time, however, so I know how to do it and am better qualified to hire someone and know I'm getting a good return on the money I'm paying out.

[Fist 666]

One small behavior I do: I treat 1/4 tank as empty all the time.  With shit potentially getting dumb soon, I now treat 1/2 tank as empty and fill up then. It may add 10 minutes to your week, but the amount of potential stress avoided is worth it. 

 

Always have at least 1 gallon of water in your vehicle. 

[Ko SprueOne]

1 hour ago, Dirty_habiT said:

...

I repair my own electronics.

I understand health well enough to know I can mostly survive on rice and protein if I had to (this is currently what my gf and I are going to be buying a lot of on Monday to ensure that even if we get through all of our other food we can still have something to eat even if it's "boring").

I know how to build a bicycle and repair one, so if we cannot get fuel, I can still get around within a limited distance.

...  Stay safe everyone and don't trust that anyone else is going to do anything for you.  If they do you should consider it great generosity and a favor.... and be thankful.

Very similar account here especially the electronics and bicycling skills. In the 1980's I was staying at the AYH in Philly and met this cat my age, at the time, that was from New Mexico. He was traveling the states, on his bike. A friend of mine that I later met in San Francisco toured SE Asia on his bike. So yeah, limited distance AND long distance.

[misteraven]

1 minute ago, Fist 666 said:

Always have at least 1 gallon of water in your vehicle. 

I don't always carry water, though its not unusual to have a hydroflask or two as we head out the door. I do keep water filters in a bag in the car along with empty bladders to carry water. Obviously if I'm traveling fairly far in the car, I'll generally bring some drinks (water) and snacks to avoid stopping so many times and paying extra for stuff usually not as good.

 

In regards to water filters, the small Sawyer filters are a must have in my opinion. Super compact, great product and fairly cheap so I probably have like 5 of them. I also have several lifestraws (they also make a cool sports bottle type thing. Also good in a different ways, though not nearly as compact. Lastly I own a high-end Katydyn thats a sort of special occasions thing. Usually stays at home, unless there's a special outdoor camping type trip planned. Its about the best you can get, with a price tag to go with that distinction. Also pretty heavy so certainly a compromise in some ways. Worth having as an ultimate backup IMO.

 

These will be the next bunch of things to be impossible to find should the current situation continue on the path its on. Either way, the capacity to filter your own water, assuming you live in an area where bodies of water are fairly common, is a smart thing to do. The Sawyer filter weighs a couple ounces, is about the size of a pilot marker and can save your ass if you find yourself lost out there and out of water. 

 

This sort of lends itself to prioritizing biological needs, versus balancing it against availability, while again prioritizing it based on an honest evaluation (threat assessment) of what you might be faced with. Florida might be similar to the a place like Louisiana and parts of Texas. California will have its own special considerations. It's not unusual for the water supply to get contaminated... Seen it happen myself for weeks at a time in Miami, as well as in NYC. Never mind places like Flint, Michigan. So yeah, having water on hand is awesome, but having the ability to easily make more drinkable water is just a smart idea when it's literally $20 to buy a device that does it.

[Ko SprueOne]

Drinking water is certainly good to have as well as the ability to filter/purify local water supplies when your surplus runs out.

 

AC/DC power is good too. Generators are obviously useful as long as you have a fuel supply. Your car battery(ies) can also provide 12VDC and 200+ AMPs. Solar panels with trickle chargers are available at most auto supply stores. Home made and mfg specific 'bicycle' generators can also recharge auto/motorcycle batteries.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Ko SprueOne
added pedal powered battery chargers

[misteraven]

I have a small solar trickle charger for sampling, as well as a small inverter to get 110v out of my truck. Though my truck actually has standard outlets in it already, which will run a laptop but nothing something with a heavy draw like some power tools. A generator is on the wish list, but I havent had the extra grand or so for it. Truth be told, other than electric to my well pump, we could do without electric for an extended period due to how my house is setup. It might be inconvenient, but not even terribly so. We use wood to heat, have no AC, can cook on the wood stove or with gas and have enough flashlights and lanterns (battery operated as well as multi fuel - kerosene, gas, oil) that we'd be fine.

 

I definitely want to setup a deep cycle battery system that is trickle charged by both the grid or solar that also has a controller to auto switch when the grid is up versus down. Just something with enough juice to power the well pump and the fridge / freezer and perhaps an extra small circuit or two. Been talking to @Mercerabout it actually.

[Dirty_habiT]

3 hours ago, Fist 666 said:

One small behavior I do: I treat 1/4 tank as empty all the time.  With shit potentially getting dumb soon, I now treat 1/2 tank as empty and fill up then. It may add 10 minutes to your week, but the amount of potential stress avoided is worth it. 

 

Always have at least 1 gallon of water in your vehicle. 

This is a good idea for another reason too.  If you constantly run your car down to E and make the fuel pump suck the "bottom of the fuel" out.... that's usually the highest concentration of dirty crap in the fuel.... which means your fuel filter's life will be less.  Another thing is, the fuel pump is cooled by the fuel that it is submerged in.  This means when you run it to E you are allowing the pump to operate at a higher temp than normal which shortens the life of the pump.  I run my shit down to E so I can track the fuel mileage I get per full tank..... but I also do my own maintenance and repairs so changing a fuel pump is an affair that costs only the price of the fuel pump and whatever time I spend doing it.

 

3 hours ago, mr.yuck said:

@Dirty_habiT I understand the self reliance factor of trying to do everything yourself. I have come to find that its not always feasible. Even if I can complete the task doesnt mean that its always the best use of my time. I generally weigh the project and how long it will possibly take me. I find some one that I can pay to do the project. If I can make more money going to work than the cost of having some one else do it, then I go to work. 

I'm on salary so I get paid the same whether I show up for work or not.... and no matter how many hours I work.  I understand that is somewhat of a special situation that not everyone has.... but that's what allows me to do brake jobs on my own vehicles.  I change my own oil too even though it costs me more to do it myself than I could pay a shop to do it.  The issue is I don't trust the lube monkeys at the shop to not use an impact on high pressure to put my drain plug in, or to not cross thread it.... or to make sure it's tight at all... etc etc etc.

 

If I screw something up it's 100% my fault and I will own it.  I don't like being pissed at other people for doing shoddy work.

 

3 hours ago, Ko SprueOne said:

Drinking water is certainly good to have as well as the ability to filter/purify local water supplies when your surplus runs out.

 

AC/DC power is good too. Generators are obviously useful as long as you have a fuel supply. Your car battery(ies) can also provide 12VDC and 200+ AMPs. Solar panels with trickle chargers are available at most auto supply stores. Home made and mfg specific 'bicycle' generators can also recharge auto/motorcycle batteries.

This is what I have.... good for 8h on 1gal of fuel. 

 

https://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eb2200i

 

I have stuff to change it's oil and extra fuel on hand at all times.... usually at least 5 gallons of fuel.

 

That's another thing worth having, fuel cans.  Not little ones.  Big ones.

 

https://www.amazon.com/VP-Racing5-Gallon-Racing-Utility/dp/B00AVQC01U/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=5+gallon+fuel+jug&qid=1584224085&sr=8-11

 

That one is a little overpriced, but it's good to get one with a flexible spout.  If you have multiple ones like I do, it's good to label them as well.  I have a few for regular gasoline, for 2-stroke mix, and for diesel.

[Ko SprueOne]

18 hours ago, misteraven said:

I have a small solar trickle charger for sampling, as well as a small inverter to get 110v out of my truck. Though my truck actually has standard outlets in it already, which will run a laptop but nothing something with a heavy draw like some power tools. A generator is on the wish list, but I havent had the extra grand or so for it. Truth be told, other than electric to my well pump, we could do without electric for an extended period due to how my house is setup. It might be inconvenient, but not even terribly so. We use wood to heat, have no AC, can cook on the wood stove or with gas and have enough flashlights and lanterns (battery operated as well as multi fuel - kerosene, gas, oil) that we'd be fine.

 

I definitely want to setup a deep cycle battery system that is trickle charged by both the grid or solar that also has a controller to auto switch when the grid is up versus down. Just something with enough juice to power the well pump and the fridge / freezer and perhaps an extra small circuit or two. Been talking to @Mercerabout it actually.

That all sounds pretty well self sufficient. We already, gray water, out from kitchen sink and the shower. Next is to solar power the house. 

 

 

 

16 hours ago, Dirty_habiT said:

....

 

This is what I have.... good for 8h on 1gal of fuel. 

 

https://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eb2200i

 

I have stuff to change it's oil and extra fuel on hand at all times.... usually at least 5 gallons of fuel.

 

That's another thing worth having, fuel cans.  Not little ones.  Big ones.

 

https://www.amazon.com/VP-Racing5-Gallon-Racing-Utility/dp/B00AVQC01U/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=5+gallon+fuel+jug&qid=1584224085&sr=8-11

 

That one is a little overpriced, but it's good to get one with a flexible spout.  If you have multiple ones like I do, it's good to label them as well.  I have a few for regular gasoline, for 2-stroke mix, and for diesel.

That's a nice set up for an isolated and mobile power source. Your description of different fuels reminds me that I need to buy a motorcycle. Maybe an Enduro or Touring style. 

[Ko SprueOne]

Specifically back to the OP title regarding the Current Event in the room.

 

edit: We don't need to constantly physically contact one another. No need to shake hands (any style), no fist bumping (popular at my job site), and no hugging. At least during the current affair in the room.

 

We have First Aid kits and fire extinguishers in every room. Stocked isopropyl and hydrogen peroxide in the kitchen and bathrooms. The FA kits include reusable CPR masks.

 

The household is trained in FA/CPR/AED from our jobs. It's a basic training level but important and useful. I learned the importance of having a first aid kit on myself whenever I leave the house from Israeli travelers I'd meet while traveling. They all were always prepared. The twelve year olds carried the same pack as the adults. I was impressed by that.

 

(fck grammer, sometimes)

Edited March 15, 2020 by Ko SprueOne
added No physical contact

[morton]

I do not take things very far, in terms of physical supplies I am at about the Red Cross standard, a little over in some departments and a little under in others.

 

Overall I think that skills are more important than things. Skills are gained and refined through practice and what you are into will guide that as much as anything, I know that I can walk through a mountain range because I have done it in general pursuits .

 

Being physically fit, knowing your region and how to navigate and living a lifestyle that incorporates preparing for the unexpected are the kind of things I am talking about. I have two weeks of food not because I am concerned about pandemic but just because a well stocked pantry is part of my lifestyle.

 

I carry life insurance, in the event of nuclear winter it probably won't help a lot but just recognizing and preparing for my families well being is piece of mind, which to me is more practical than say extra ammunition.

[NightmareOnElmStreet]

Huge wake up call for me. I gotta say though upon taking all the inventory I currently have, be it food or gear, I actually have a shit load more than I thought I did. The only things I feel like I need is actual legitimate protection.

[NightmareOnElmStreet]

I do have a lot of hiking/camping gear + some that I’ve collected throughout the years. Those setups always make me feel good. Everything I’d need if things got fucked and me and the fam needed to hit the woods. Life straws, solar charging ports and batteries, tarps, Solo stove, hatchets, collapsible water bags.

In the crib I’m holding a couple 5 gallon waters. About 50 pounds of rice, many jars of sauerkraut/carrot salads, cucumber salad, a lot of beans, kipper snacks, ramen, peanut butter, few dozen cans of stew soups. 

I was holding a large amount of jerky but that’s depleted. 

 

All of this is chill, but would definitely run out in a couple few weeks. 

Yo @Dirty_habiTthat water filter action system looks wild legit. 

[misteraven]

3 hours ago, morton said:

I do not take things very far, in terms of physical supplies I am at about the Red Cross standard, a little over in some departments and a little under in others.

 

Overall I think that skills are more important than things. Skills are gained and refined through practice and what you are into will guide that as much as anything, I know that I can walk through a mountain range because I have done it in general pursuits .

 

Being physically fit, knowing your region and how to navigate and living a lifestyle that incorporates preparing for the unexpected are the kind of things I am talking about. I have two weeks of food not because I am concerned about pandemic but just because a well stocked pantry is part of my lifestyle.

 

I carry life insurance, in the event of nuclear winter it probably won't help a lot but just recognizing and preparing for my families well being is piece of mind, which to me is more practical than say extra ammunition.

Important points, which is a good time to mention...

 

Some people get caught up in the supplies and let their health go to shit. If you're vastly out of shape and unable to job a couple miles without feeling like you're going to die, then yeah... You need to start with getting yourself dialed in before you focus on the situation and scenarios around you. Knowledge is also critical. Have a basement worth of supplies that'll have you survive the zombie apocalypse, yet no working knowledge cause you've never camped and tested your gear out is better than nothing, but stupid none the less.

 

Also, each individual needs to consider their own threat assessment list. You need to consider your own environment, circumstance and priorities and then continue to review them every so often. Perhaps having iostat on hand during the 80s cold war would be a higher priority, but then again go ask the people out near Fukushima if its a good idea to have some of that on hand. You should plan based on what is most probably to least probable. Might be fun to have an off road vehicle packed with MRE's and guns, but it's more likely that you'll lose your job at the worst possible time or suddenly find our you or a loved one has cancer than it will be that you need to bug out to the National Park cause the Russians are invading.

 

I see shit like a total financial collapse as within the realm of possibility (perhaps more so with the current situation), but its more likely that I'll simply be unable to make ends meet some months, so I plan for that. Likewise, winters where I am can be brutal, the area is known for super high winds, which in turn will knock out power pretty regularly for some people. It's probable, if not certain, that I'll need to be prepared for a few days of no power and stocked to not have to leave my house for a week at a time, so that'll rank fairly high on my personal list. As you start knocking off the obvious shit, you start gaining confidence and as you know more about yourself and what you want to prepare for, as well as have the means to do so, you start working deeper down the list. Most of the time, it comes down to a fairly basic list that applies to virtually any scenario from earthquake to hurricane, to power outage to pandemic to freakin alien invasion... Protection, shelter, food, water, first aid. 

[mr.yuck]

On 3/14/2020 at 2:43 PM, misteraven said:

I don't disagree with you and use that metric myself. I do try and do it myself the first time, however, so I know how to do it and am better qualified to hire someone and know I'm getting a good return on the money I'm paying out.

True true. There are caveats with everything, though. I guess I should have said things that are not necessarily an emergency but that need to happen within a certain timeline and dont neccesarily have a window of trial and error built in. For example, remodeling my house fits into this category perfectly. Its something I can do in my spare time as downstairs is fully functional. But when I go to remodel the kitchen, I will be enlisting some help because that thing cant be down for longer than a week.

 

@Dirty_habiTI realize my situation isnt eveyones situation with being able to stop work on a whim and still have a job to go back to lol. My wife on the other hand is getting really good at diagnosing the things that go wrong with our vehicles, telling me what I need to buy, and then I replace the part. She has saved us 1000s of dollars over the past few years.

[Schnitzel]

12ozpreppert.

 

 I have enough water in tanks to supply drinking water to my block for a few days or for my family for ages. 

Trouble is now 80% of it is semi contaminated with eucalyptus leaves falling into the tanks

 

The primary tank I'd use is actually the worst offender which is a worry but you would boil it and it should be drinkable if not appetising.

 

 what I need to do is boil it and see if the colouration changes..

 

 

I noticed in the freakout frenzy at my supermarket th at lots of fruit wasn't being bought so I stocked up and borrowed my in laws' dehydrator.

 

 took the last of my grapes from the vine and started drying them!  Now my house smells like cheap wine and there's only 9 hours to go.  I might get them out in the sun to do it au natural  once it hits midday then back in the machine. 

 

Then I move on to the apples.

 

My father in law is a pretty handy old guy so whenI gave him some grapes ( i had about 3 times this amount) he gave me a bucket of peas and some zucchinis. Zucchinis homegrown seem to last way longer and I grate them up in ever

 

 

 

 

 

[Dirty_habiT]

10 hours ago, Ko SprueOne said:

That's a nice set up for an isolated and mobile power source. Your description of different fuels reminds me that I need to buy a motorcycle. Maybe an Enduro or Touring style. 

I'd recommend an enduro style bike over any other style of bike.  The reason being is that there isn't anywhere the suspension travel and tires won't allow you to go.  An "adventure bike" is another style of "dirt bike" that allows you to carry a lot of stuff with you.  It also has dirt bike style suspension so getting over stuff is no problem.  Probably ride right over most logs provided they're not massive.... and you can probably go over the big ones too with the right amount of riding skill.

[Dirty_habiT]

8 hours ago, NightmareOnElmStreet said:

Yo @Dirty_habiTthat water filter action system looks wild legit. 

It's what's required to get "0 TDS" water.  When you make your own salt water (not iodized salt).... there are a ton of things that get mixed back into the water.  What you don't want is chlorine or cloramines because those things absolutely wreck sea life of all forms.  Once you know a bit about "reef tank" as a hobby you would understand that what we're doing to the oceans is absolutely atrocious.  It's quite literally as bad as if not worse than the destruction of forest for wood and land to build concrete objects.

[~KRYLON2~]

the best way to prepare yourself is by educating yourself, pdfdrive.com has a ton of books you can DL for free, of course there's youtube vids. It's a good place to start if you don't have any hands on experience 

 

 

 

 

[misteraven]

1 hour ago, Dirty_habiT said:

I'd recommend an enduro style bike over any other style of bike.  The reason being is that there isn't anywhere the suspension travel and tires won't allow you to go.  An "adventure bike" is another style of "dirt bike" that allows you to carry a lot of stuff with you.  It also has dirt bike style suspension so getting over stuff is no problem.  Probably ride right over most logs provided they're not massive.... and you can probably go over the big ones too with the right amount of riding skill.

Can you link a couple. I don’t know short about motorcycles. 

[Dirty_habiT]

4 hours ago, misteraven said:

Can you link a couple. I don’t know short about motorcycles. 

I'm a bit biased because I think KTM makes some of the best bikes you can buy. 
 

https://www.ktm.com/en/travel/

 

anything from that page will be bad ass. The enduro bike is a dirt bike with street legal provisions.

 

My bike is a 2007 200xc. We also have a 2006 200xc-w. I would recommend either of those bikes because they're light and the motor is strong. Basically a "250cc two stroke in a 125cc weight frame."  
 

I think ktm still has the lightest bikes as well. So if you compare all the modern 250cc bikes the ktm is likely the lightest. Also I wouldn't mess with four stroke because they're more maintenance and when they break the break catastrophically. 

[delv]

@Schnitzelwe have a tank that collects rain water also and has a tap. I too was wondering how best I might filter this as it's like 1000L and we use it for gardening only, so it's always full. 

 

Anyone know if there is a simple set up I could attach to a standard hose connection that might allow this water to be consumable?

[Schnitzel]

boil it mate!

 

[delv]

1 hour ago, Schnitzel said:

boil it mate!

 

Let's assume gas/electricity is out. I'm keen to see how I can set something up that is energy free. 

[Dirty_habiT]

@delv - typically you could use chemical filtration with a particulate filter of some sort.  To get the tiniest stuff out you still need some sort of particulate filter and carbon block.

 

For instance, I made 15 gallons of drinking water with the setup I posted on the previous page yesterday.  The TDS coming out was still .04 and that is after a particulate filter (big particles), 2 carbon blocks (smaller particles/chemicals), and reverse osmosis (smaller particles/chemicals).  Consider that the TDS coming out of the faucet is like .80 though.

 

If you use a chemical to clean your water you're still going to be drinking dead amoeba dicks.  Here are some guidelines I looked up real quick:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/drinking/making-water-safe.html

 

Yep... you can use chlorine bleach to disinfect water.  The concentration for doing so is very low and the water shouldn't smell like bleach when you're done.  If you have a large amount of water in storage, I would get what is necessary to filter/clean what you need for drinking and then treat only that.