A little hiatus from posting. Mostly because my civilian life has been pretty full and when I have time to write I’d rather use it for sleep. Still and all, I figured I’d better post …..
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The news has been on-n-off over North Korea’s on-n-off missle launch. For those who came in late, the North Koreans are supposedly going to test a missle capable of reaching the continental US. Let me take a few minutes to say I told you so. I told you so. Several times. This is a surprise to who exactly? However, lets be practical. North Korea is a communist third world basket case that makes Cuba look like Canada. The people are starving, theyre isolated from the world economic community and they have absolutely nothing to bargain with. Then they see the US and the rest of the world making a deal with Iran to give up their nuclear ambitions in exchange for all sortsa goodies. The North Koreans, not being complete idiots despite being Communists, figure they may as well try and get the US to pony up some goodies in exchange for the DPRK dropping its nuclear plans (which they probably couldn’t get to work anyway). Problem is, it appears no one is taking the bait and the North Koreans now have to put up or shut up and get that missle in the air.
Threat to me and my well-being? Minimal. Interesting from a socio-politcal standpoint. Bigger threat to the locals in the region then they are to me. Let ‘em starve.
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Girlfriend had a minor hiccup with her Glock the other day. Trigger return spring broke. This is an old second-generation Glock so theres no telling how many rounds have been put through it. The functionability of the gun remains..still shoot, fire, shoot, repeat….just means that ‘staging’ the trigger becomes an issue. For combat shooting, it’ll get the job done. The part is a $2.50 part and I have four of them on order so swapping it out shouldn’t be a problem. In fact the girlfriend already had a spare spring laying around so she simply replaced it herself and is back up and running. Nonetheless, the moral of the story here is: spare parts.
Its worth pointing out this is the second part she has had break. The recoil spring guide on her G19 broke, another mishap that did not render the gun unshootable but was more of an inconvenience for disassembly. Now this. Aftermarket recoil spring guides are available that appear to be far more sturdy (metal vs. plastic) and perhaps there are some aftermarket springs out there that are also a bit more durable as well. Gotta look.
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Speaking of spare parts, I really need to get a few goodies for my bicycle. Absolutely nothing, short of something with an internal combustion engine, is as good for getting from point A to point B. As Ive mentioned before, you can be sure there are a lot more people in Manhattan these days with mountain bikes just waiting for the next time all vehicular traffic is halted and the only way off the island is by foot…or bicycle.
I need to get a few things…good foot pump, a smaller pump for carrying with, patch kits, extra tubes, chain, chainbreaker, wrenches, spokes, spoke tools, extra wheels, etc, etc. On the bright side, shouldn’t come out to too bad a price and I know someone in the biz so maybe I can save a few bucks there.
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Of course, storing spare parts means having to have a place to store them. Additionally, some things have particular storage requirements. Take ammo, for example, it has to be stored in such a manner as to be dry, protected, accessible and easily man-portable. Fortunately the answer to this problem is, unsurprisingly, the ammo can. Other items are not so fortunate. Almost everything needs to be stored to protect from water. Never know when something is going to be exposed to a broken pipe, flooded basement, rainy night in the back of a truck, or just heaved across a muddy yard. Some stuff is easier to find containers for than others. And good luck with the really heavy stuff like the full water containers (eight pounds per gallon can add up in a hurry) or the bulky stuff like bedding and clothes. Things that cant fit in ammo cans (and there aren’t many considering the huge variations in ammo can sizes) get vacuum sealed and then put into heavy plastic or cardboard containers to protect the sealed bag from puncture. In this manner, the desired level of protection is achieved although not the desired level of durability.
Naturally, theres also a trade-off of accessibility vs. protection. First aid kits are a good example. When you need to use one you usually need it in a hurry, but the contents must be protected from damage and environment at all times for them to be useful. Whats needed is high levels of protection with equally high levels of access…esp. if using only one hand. Kinda makes planning more interesting when you have to start taking that kinda stuff into consideration, don’t it?
At Pat’s class, I was talking to Phil while he was trying to extract the empty cartridge that had lodged backwards in the chamber of the G19 (an artifact of one-handed malf drills when you’re using a short empty for a malf). He’d just discovered Lone Wolf and had been on a spree trying different recoil springs and guides. His conclusion was that everything he’d tried worked fine. I think the one he liked best was a stainless steel guide and spring by Lightning Strike, which he’d adopted as his standard spare. Personally, I just have four stock assemblies as spare parts, as while they might be fragile, I know they’re tuned right plus they’re cheap.
That access thing is a killer. I’m having the same problem keeping things safe and accessible. I do keep a couple of handtrucks at the ready to get things to the trucks from the basement quickly in a bug out. I figure we can move more at once and minimize the risk of strained backs from moving ammo and water. I use cabinets with doors for most of my storage. I’ve consolidated all of the most important food stuffs (minus glass items), etc., into the first two cabinets. If we had to move really fast, those whole cabinets are going onto the handtrucks and into the back of the trucks just as they are.
I need more bike parts, too. Right now I’m not satisfied with the bike I have, so the parts are on hold until I can afford a new bike, and the new bike is on hold because I’m working on a different part of my plan right now, and there’s not enough money to do it all at once.
Opps! Sorry. That was me. Didn’t realize I wasn’t logged on.
You might consider adding CO2 inflators to your bicycle goodies list. Smaller, less effort to use. Stash a frame-mountable pump at home and at the shop for bugout purposes.
For home use, I picked up a 150psi three gallon compressed air tank from Northern Tool some months back. This was to replace one I gave away before leaving Seattle. I fill it up at gas stations when needed, which isn’t very often, and it’s just the thing for topping up a car or bike tire. This is a decent alternative to both a large manual pump, be it hand- or foot-operated, and a small-size shop air compressor. I also have a decent 12v car compressor for contingency use.
Thought about the cartridge based systems but theres that whole whaddya-do-when-youre-outta-cartridges thing. A 12v compressor may be the way to go also since 12v is a bit easier to come up with in a crisis than 110 ac.
first off
North Korea ever flew a nuke at anybody, it will cease to exist. as for bicycles, consider adding to your list kelvar tires and self sealing inner tubes. changing a flat can be hazardous in the middle of nowhere. add baskets or paniers be a plus, along with a hitch for trailer. electric motors or even small gas engines can be added on for long hauls up a hill. a good bicycle in well kept condition can provide transport for years, or be used with adaptor stationary can be used to power generators, pumps or food grinders. happy trails, Wildflower 06