Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The Retreat, for a Depression........Collapse is another thing.

Yesterday Bison blog had a topic "Desert Water". It got me to thinking, We all need water to live, but there are allot of people in drier areas hauling water now (this will continue as long is fuel is available). Of course if your equipped with a pick-up and water tank, Its less of a nuisance than a trip to the grocery store. In fact, It takes less time than grocery shopping. In my case I try to consolidate trips. I have a pond and a well at my place, but the water I haul is slightly better. You see, in dry areas like parts of Montana the towns have bulk water stations. I just drive my truck under the dispensing pipe. It takes 2 min or so, to fill a 450 gallon tank. The costs of the water is about 1 dollar for 400 Gal. For convenience I have an old truck that I use to haul water, then I don't have to un-load the tank each time. For now fuel is available at the pump. I don't like the price, but I need to make the trip to town anyways. To get water once a week in the summer, and once a month in the winter, fits well with other trips.

The way I see this; there is basically only a few scenarios, for our economy:
1) Every thing gets better, we all rejoice, and feel ashamed we ever doubted the the, Dark Lord. Not likely, but since Blog ink is free, I threw it in there.
2) Every thing stays pretty much the same, or at least if there is any change up or down, its so slight that it takes several generations to come to head or have notable impact. (obviously more likely than #1)
3) We slip slow or fast to huge depression.....I think we will know the answer to this in the next couple of years, If not sooner.(government infrastructure is still functioning but sluggish,and strapped, or broke).
4)Total collapse. All bets are off, its kill or be killed (government infrastructure is NOT functioning). Perhaps, we slip to a depression (#3) then collapse.

Who doesn't want a retreat where "a river runs through it". For most, land with live water is not an affordable option. Land with a well is an option, If its affordable. If power is not available there are some options to pump from your well. An old fashioned mechanical wind mill may work,depends on how deep the well. There are some solar and or wind setups for shallow wells that work ok.Of course a generator will only work till your fuel runs out. In scenarios, 1 and 2, you can get more fuel. In #3 the second great depression, I wouldn't count on getting fuel or being able to afford it, if you find it. Now, we move on to the; dirt cheap dirt, No well, no water, you have to haul all your water.Needless to say, hauling water for a garden is not practical, even now, with fuel available, and priced at 3.00 gal. With the dirt cheap dirt, a well may be possible ,and you could pay for that later but for now you own the land. Rain catchment systems can aid in water supply but, this will not even come close to your water usage, unless you live in the rain forests. Water tanks are cheap. I can get a 1650 gal plastic tank for 300 bucks at Big R Ranch Supply. these can help with catchment systems, and storage, to last in lean times. Different properties will present different challenges, likewise different opportunities.

The point I'm tiptoeing up to, is get what you can afford, but get something, get it ASAP.
The thing is if you get some thing you own it. If you never have to live there you got lucky. But, you still own it,  pass-it on when you die. Till then, its an asset and an insurance policy.

If you have land now. Even "junk Land" .Your chances of survival are greatly improved. If scenarios 1or 2 come to be, you didn't need it. If scenario #3 is the card we get, well be glad you have a place to live, away from the crowded masses. Opposed to, the life of a city dwelling refugee, getting mugged in line at the soup kitchen, and sleeping in an alley or city park; getting in a shootout over fishing gear, or a fist fight over the corps of a dead cat.Any number of things that can happen when surrounded by hungry desperate people.

Don,t forget scenario #4, Total collapse.Well if the world or country goes Mad Max and there's no law or order. Do you think anyone will give a rats ass, whose land belongs to whom. At that point ditch the retreat, if your still alive. Find a nice piece of land within the millions of acres of forest, (once known as National Forests before the collapse.) Build a cabin next to a creek or river, spend your golden years in the pine trees, hunting and fishing. Meanwhile, in the city and on the roads, the rif-raf refuges (dare I say zombies) kill each other, for food,fuel and for fun. Not you though,Unlike them, your biggest problem is to decide weather you'll be cooking fish or venison over the campfire that night. You decide a compromise, your kids want deer your wife wants fish, you want sex, so you cook both. Your not an evil dictator at all..........


Happy Trails!

2 comments:

  1. hey! buck,thought i'd check out your neck of the internet woods. nice work, i'll be checking back

    subotai

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