RidgeRunner Paracord Belts.

  I just received a belt from Bill at Ridge Runner Belts.  I have seen many of these belts on the market over the past few years.  Until I talked with Bill I really had never considered getting one because they were so expensive.  I have seen most of these belts running about $75 dollars and up.  Here's the cool part about Ridge Runner belts, they run between $24 and $29 dollars.  This is a steal of a deal for a Para-cord belt.  If you want when you place an order he will make a matching bracelet for just $4 more.

  I can tell you from experience that having one of these on in an emergency is a life saver.  The belts have up to 100 feet of para-cord in them.  That is more than enough to fill your cordage needs in a survival situation.  Para-cord is probably the most used cordage in just about every bug out bag and survival backpack that I have ever seen.


  Bills quality control;l on his product is very high and they are very well built.  I wear mine every day as part of my EDC and they get more comfortable each day.  Having this thing around my waist makes a lot more room in my EDC bag for other stuff.  I am never worried about having cordage when I need it and a hundred feet of cordage goes a long way.  He will even make your belt in the custom colours that you want.  Have a football team that you want to support, then just tell Bill what you want.  I have one in coyote and OD green and now another one in green and black.  I have always worn a leather belt and liked them but these conform to me better than leather and I am prepared at the same time.  I have had a lot of people ask me where I got mine from because it is unique and personalized.


  Go over to his website and check out his gallery of pictures and you will see what I mean.  I am a para-cord nut to start with and this is just like adding fuel to the fire for me.  His website is at http://www.ridgerunnerbelts.com/  Let him know that you heard about them at The Retreat and he will take care of you right away.  I like supporting small business and fellow preppers and with Ridge runner belts I can do both.

Has the Zombie Apocalypse started down in Florida?

This last Saturday there was a man that had his face eaten off by another man in broad daylight.  The entire scene was captured on video camera from a neighbouring  building's security cameras.  The attack lasted for a total of 18 minutes before police showed up and shot the assailant dead.  A naked Rudy Eugene attacked a homeless man named Ronald Poppo out in the open on the side of a regularly travelled street in the middle of the day.  In the video you can see cars driving by and even one guy that passes right by the two while the attack was going on.  Eugene ate most of Poppos face off from the forehead down to his goatee and also gouged out the older man's eye in the process.  Eugene was spotted by the police down on hands and knees ripping at the man's face with his mouth.  When approached Eugene growled like a dog at the officer and continued to tear pieces of the older man's face off and chew them until the officer shot and killed the younger Eugene.

  This is by far the most bizarre story I have ever heard.  You can view the complete uncensored video of the attack at This Link.   Just a warning it is a little upsetting and you may want to monitor who watches it.  So far they don't know what caused the man to attack the other and eat his face off.  The younger Eugene was described by his younger brother as neither a hard drinker or drug addict or having any mental problems prior to the attack.

  I personally am not sure if I want to know what caused this man to do what he did but it is by far the most bizarre thing I have ever heard of.  Let us know what you think of this story.

Home Defense Weapons. Handgun -VS- Shotgun

  This is a subject that has been covered on many blogs but I am going to give you my take on the subject.  We will talk about the two most commonly used home defense weapons the hand gun and the shot gun.  Remember this is my opinion and not the official word so give me a little slack.

  First we will talk about the hand gun.  Hand guns do have many advantages when it comes to home defensde.  First of all they are light and easy to carry.  They have a short barrel and usually have a clip with multiple rounds in them.  Depending on the calibre or the weapon they have some pretty good stopping power.  They are also pretty easy to reload in a hurry.  Some of the draw backs of a hand gun is that they are not the most accurate weapons if you are in panic mode because of the shortness of the barrel.  They also have a bad habit of jamming at the wrong time.

  Next we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the shot gun.  Shot guns are much bigger and a bit easier to find in a dark room and when you are in panic mode.  They don't hold as many shells but they can also hold slugs that will pretty much kill or destroy what ever they are aimed at.  This fact kind of compensates for the lack of rounds over the hand gun.  You can also put several different rounds in the weapon.  In the past I have loaded my shotgun in a staggered pattern.  I put in a bird shot with a large amount of shot in the shell then for the next round I have 00 buck and then I have a round with a slug in it.  This way if I need to move to a round with more poop to it it is right there.  Granted the shot gun is a bit harder to whip around in a small room but when you rack that bad boy most people just stop and freeze in place.

  Both weapons make good home defense weapons.  My preferred weapon is still the shotgun.  I like having various rounds with different shot over having more rounds to shoot.  If I can hit the intruder with one 12 gauge slug and have it be over with I would rather have that than a gun fight in the house.  The shot gun also gives me a little more leeway with my aim when I am startled by someone in the house.  I have chosen a Mossberg 500 with an 18" barrel and an assault stock and a shell holder on the butt stock for reloading should I need to.  The shorter barrel and the lighter stock make this weapon much easier to use and way more deadly in the right hands.

  As I said before this is my opinion and you should take the time to see what works best for you.  Weight the pro's and con's of your home situation and decide what you are most comfortable with.  Decide what calibre is going to work best and feel the best for you.  Remember that it is best to only have to shoot once and stop the intruder than to have to shoot multiple times and risk getting shot yourself.  I have made my decision based on many years as a weapons specialist with a Special Forces Unit and part of that training taught me that there is not just one weapon of choice for every situation or for everyone.  Everyone uses weapons differently.  If you are going to have a weapon for home defence please get training on that weapon because a weapon with out any training is a very dangerous piece of gear.


  I would very much like to hear your take on home defence weapons so sound off and let us know what you think.

Drone's over America! What Next?

  It has been reported from many different sources over the past few months that the Federal Government has been planning on putting drone aircraft in the skies over the United States for surveillance purposes.  This kind of activity falls under the management of the Department Of Homeland Security and is in conjunction with the Air Force.  No where in the constitution does it allow the Federal Government to spy on it's own citizens without a warrant.


  This is just like something out of Orwell's book 1984.  You could be out in your backyard hot-tub skinny dipping and be on camera.  This is taking things to far and this kind of behaviour needs to be stopped.  Sadly most people just continue to live their lives and just let this stuff happen and say nothing about it.  What kind of a country have we become when our own government is allowed to disregard our rights and to spy on us.  Land of the Free my ass!!


  There has been little or almost no coverage by the Lame Stream Media on this type of stuff and most average Americans don't have the slightest idea what their government is doing to them.  When I first heard about this plan I was almost sick.  I fought for this country and its freedoms.  I did not serve so that our own government could spy on me and my family.  This is going way to far and does not help with the security of our nation.  They are using Homeland Security to take all of our rights away from us one at a time.

  What the hell are we going to have to do to get our point across to our elected officials that we have had enough??  There have also been many warnings that there is going to be a possible food shortage due to much higher oil prices this summer.  Has our government done anything at all to curb this problem?  Hell no they have not.  They are to busy trying to spy on us and at the same time running their re-election campaigns.  We are the last thought on their minds right now.



  Unemployment is still at record setting levels and people are losing their homes every day but we have stopped hearing about that because it is re-election time and they don't want to deal with that kind of stuff right now.  We need to fire every damn one of them and start to do the job ourselves.  I want to know what you all think of this stuff.  Please sound off and let us know how you feel!


 

Cover and Concealment:Blending in with an urban environment.

  Part of going about your business with out being noticed is to blend in with your surroundings.  Its Called being the "Gray Man".  If you look out of the ordinary you will be noticed and checked out.  If you look like the rest of the people around you then you basically go unnoticed.

   Dressing is subdued clothing that is of a neutral colour such as Brown or medium Gray or sometimes even Blue works best.  Cargo pants are a must for carrying those extra little things that you need quick access to on the move.  The pockets on cargo pants are a great place to have a small flash light or a smaller folding knife or even a multi-tool.  These things you do not want to have on your belt in a sheath or holder.  They are the items that call attention to you.


  Part of my training in Special Forces was Cover and Concealment.  This means cover and concealment in all types of terrain and locations.  Part of that training was to blend in to your given location.  You want to look like Joe Average.  This means taking off that expensive military grade watch and the survival bracelet you were wearing.  Those things can go into a pocket close to you and are easy to get to.  Those cool dog tags that you had made up for all the members of your group need to go too.  And ditch those cool mil-grade Oakley's you bought until you are out of the city.

  I found getting a little dirty also helps.  Freshly washed clothes will be a red flag.  When it comes to backpacks the smaller the better.  If you look like you are all  packed up for a long range journey this is also going to call attention to you.  Having gear that is light weight help two-fold.  Not only does it make for a more comfortable bug out but it cuts down on what I call your "bug out profile".  The less you look like you are bugging out the better.  Low profile and built for speed is best.  You can move around easier and you have less gear to worry about.


  Cache a lot of your stuff and come back at a better time to recover it.  If you need to come back for stuff come back at night and use the darkness to conceal yourself.


 

"The Awakening" Are people finally starting to wake up to reality??

  I have been hearing it more and more each day.  How things are going up in price or that the price has stayed the same but what you get in the bag is far less than before.  I go around spreading the word to my friends all the time but they only really start to listen when it hits their wallet.  They rant and rave about how much things have went up in price and how are they going to live their lives if everything cost so much.  I have been telling them to cut back to the bare essentials and to get rid of the expensive gas guzzling cars and all the extra toys.

  I also told them to start toning down their lifestyles and to get their debt paid off.  Did they listen?  No they did not and now they are beginning to pay the price for that procrastination. Manufactures are starting to down size their products and keeping the price the same as before so that the consumer is not aware of the change.

  A prime example is the motorcycle I just bought for a trip down to Arizona to see my son and his wife and my grand kids.  When I went in to register it and pay the taxes and get the new plates I was stunned to find out that the taxes had doubled since last year for this vehicle.  How are our local and state governments raising our taxes without our knowledge.  It is a though they can just go ahead and change our state tax codes when they feel like it.  I do not remember any info on this at all.

  I got this motorcycle because it was far to expensive to drive my 4X4 ford truck down to see the family.  I refuse to fly because I will not pay the extra fee for my bags to fly and the fact that they are already charging far to much for an airline ticket.  I paid the higher taxes on the bike because I had planned on making a vacation trip out of the drive and still plan to go.  I am more than a bit upset about the extra tax money though.

  What I want to know is how they can raise taxes with out first informing the public and putting it to a vote.  I thought this was what democracy was about.  It is starting to sound like what we left in England all those many years ago.

  What are we going to have to do to get through to these people that we are the ones in charge and that they work for us??

Monday Morning Meyhem!! News you need to know!

North Korea My Do Nuclear Test Soon.
http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2012/04/155571.html


Allies to form Nuclear Attack Contingency Plan
http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20120429000289


Al Qaida off shoots are America's biggest threat
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=116124


Terrorist Plots hatched by F.B.I.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/terrorist-plots-helped-along-by-the-fbi.html?_r=1


Russian troops to train on American soil
http://rt.com/news/troops-russian-drills-america-214/


  If you hear of news that you feel we should know please let us know.  We put our feelers out there but don't catch all the important news.  Being informed is a vital part of prepping and survival.

Practice What You Preach: Changing your lifestyle to match your prepping.

  I was sitting her today and realized how much "Stuff" I have that really does me no good at all.  We all have way more "Stuff" than is necessary for life.  We go to the store and justify buying a lot of things we do not need.  Our wants take over and we start accumulating a bunch of things we never really use.

  I am on a mission to simplify my life as much as possible.  I am trying to cut out all those things that I want and don't really need to exist.  Self sufficiency is the goal.  I am growing my own food,preparing for what ever comes down the pipe at me, and learning as many skills as I can cram into my tiny brain.

  Skills are my main goal.  With those skills I can make or find most of the stuff I will need to stay alive.  After a lot of thought and research I have come to the conclusion that being able to grow your own food and hunt are the two most important skills you can learn.  All of the other skills make things just that much better in a bad situation.

  In my military career I have fought and survived in many countries and many different situations.  If you have to carry those things you need to survive you learn what is important and what is not.  You really don't need much to survive.  You would be surprised at how little you really need.  Training and/or knowledge is the most vital thing you carry with you.

  I look around in my home and see all the prepping stuff I have accumulated over the years and realize that most of it is not very necessary but nice to have.  I have let getting gear and food take the place of honing my skills and putting in "Dirt Time" practising them.  This is about to change for me.

  I am getting ready to go through all my stuff and look at what it does for me and if I can get by without it.  It is time to get by again on my wits and not what's in the bag.  I have survived many terrible things and many bad situations in my life and done so with very,very, little.  I know it can be done and travelling with a small pack on your back is much faster and easier than with a large heavy one.

  I plan on bugging in but I also understand from much experience that this is just a temporary situation.  At some time we will all bug out in a bad scenario.  Having the knowledge and the proper gear and knowing how to use it will be the most vital thing we can have.

Monday Morning Mayhem: Prepping News You Should Know!!

  China Reaffirms relationship with North Korea after rocket launch:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jty1pfDhQ6ZzJ9fWO0fbdRmU090A?docId=9134e887889f4e858d09130cef751630


  Turbulence in Europe sends markets lower:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/business/daily-stock-market-activity.html


  First ever "National Severe Weather Preparedness Week"
http://www.examiner.com/article/first-ever-u-s-national-severe-weather-preparedness-week


  Fed's and Utilities face off over EMP threat in 2014
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-feds-are-in-serious-disagreement-with-utility-companies-over-the-solar-storm-emp-threat-2012-4


  Why The US should Ignore North Korea's Li'l Kim
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2012/04/north_korea_missile_launch_poses_no_serious_threat_to_the_united_states_.html


  I hope you all have a wonderful week and keep on prepping.  Prepping is a way of life not a hobby so keep up the good work and become self sufficient in the process.  There will be an update on the garden soon and pics to go along with the update.

Guest Post: Staying Clean Without Running Water

Staying clean is the best preventative measure for illness and infection during a crisis. Today, most of us stay clean using modern technology including showers. In nearly all emergency scenarios we will be left without our precious showers and instant hot water.

There are several ways to stay clean without running water. Here are just a few:

Sponge Bath

This is probably the most luxurious of your options. Have two buckets and two sponges in your storage exclusively for bathing. In one bucket you can fill with a shallow pool of warm water and soap. In the other, clean water. Scrub down with the soapy water and sponge first and rinse off with the clean water.

TIP: Sponge baths are nice because you’re using such a limited quantity of water that you can easily warm the water over a flame. This way you don’t always need to wash cold.

Spray Bottle Wash

For all your nooks and cranny’s you can do a spray bottle wash. Just use a spray bottle to soak down your armpits, pour a small amount of soap in your palm and scrub over your armpits until it lathers. Rinse by spraying off the area once again with the spray bottle. You can repeat this process in all of your most intimate of areas. Not ideal for a full body cleanup.

Baby/Body Wipes

These are great for in between sponge baths but not full time clean up. Use multiple cloths to wipe down. It’s advisable to use separate cloths for your feet. If you’re looking for more than just grocery store brand baby wipes I recommend Hoo-Ahh’s.

Sanitizer

Once again, sanitizer is a great quick clean up product but shouldn’t replace soap and water.

Camping Shower

Camping showers come in every variety from a propane-powered to a simple bag to hold water with a showerhead at the bottom. (See how to use a garbage bag as a camping shower and 39 other uses) You can find different kinds in all sorts of price ranges at any local camping store.

Simply stated, sanitation and cleanliness can save your life when disease is rampant and medicine is in short supply. Add all of these hygiene preparations to your emergency inventory. When the lights go out and the water shuts off you’ll be happy you did.

Jessica Hooley is the author of Salt n’ Prepper and contributor to the Army Navy Store Blog – PX Supply