Bugging Out in the Middle of Covid-19

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Going Galt Series - Steps to Getting Out of Dodge

Part 5

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World!

Holy smokes folks! Did you make it through the past few weeks? I had half a blog post ready to go last week about bugging out to the Redoubt and the SHTF all of the sudden. I decided to skip that one and move on. 

I had to stop and reassess everything. 

Here I am, a proud prepper, and I'm ten hours north of all my supplies!

Now what?!

The family is still in south Idaho to finish the school year. The house is still up for sale too. They were doing their thing and I was doing my thing... and BAM!

Let's assess the stress factor list:

• I'm 10 hours north of my family scouting out for a new homestead (doable)
• Started a new job at the local hospital (semi-stressful)
• Only know two people in the whole area up here (Hi Patrice and Don!)
• House is on the market and I'm praying it sells soon (stressful)
• The coronavirus hits (What the....!)
• Family is 10 hours south during virus panic (getting more stressful)
• Daughter #2 is four months into her 18-month church mission in ECUADOR. (OMG!)
• Daughter #1's trip to Disneyland is canceled (thankfully) and she decided to head to Vegas?! (Seriously?!)
• I'm smack dab in the middle of my doctorate program and the homework is nonstop (stressful)
• And my van (only transportation up here) smells of antifreeze every time I drive it. (Ugh.)

Let's see...

Good LAWD! What else can happen....?

Time to Regroup

Okay, school for me has one more week after this one and we're done for the semester. Whew. I'm headed back south this weekend for Spring Break myself to spend a week with the family. 

We'll talk about our plans and our supplies. We have plenty of food storage and readiness supplies. But we no longer have our acreage which means no pigs or chickens. 

Boy, do I miss the chickens. 

Having those daily eggs was exactly what we need right now. Fresh scrambled eggs with cheese are my favorite breakfast food. 

I'm not really sure what to think about the house up for sale. At first, I figured the panic would have everyone occupied and not out looking at houses.

But sure enough, the realtor called a few days ago and requested a showing. Then the Fed lowered the rates to zero or near zero. I'm still waiting to see what that does to the mortgage interest rates.

Should be a good thing, I think.

The schools my kids go to have all shut down. Every class is online now. Technically, they could return with me after spring break and finish school up north. 

So we'll figure all of that out when I get back down there.

I had some fun with my house listing during the panic.

and then a few days later posted another one...

I figured there has to be someone out there who is looking to get out of the city and move someplace nice and quiet. So I kept putting it out there.

Still I wait...patiently. Praying.

Homestead Property

I have seen some really great stuff up north. My favorite so far is a 22-acre spread with a home and several outbuildings

it was pitched to me as a 3 bed / 1 bath. One bath is pretty tough with all my girls but I figured, even with two bathrooms I still don't get my fair share of time in mine so what the heck. At least with 22 acres, I could go outside...

The top picture shows a run of kennels that housed animals. With some fortification, I think it could handle pigs. Several barns and horse pens available. It was up on a mountain that had a great view and plenty of trees. 

State land right behind it. And the neighbors...oh yeah. They invited me in for dinner right there on the spot. Steak and potatoes. Are you kidding me?

They had me at HELLO.

It's top on my list but I'll keep looking to see if there is something with a little more space in the house. One of the three bedrooms in this house didn't have a closet. So technically, this was a 2-bed, 1-bath. But it was a good 2,000 sq ft overall. 

I could easily make that work. And kids move out eventually, right? They do move out, eventually, right?

There's always this place I found...it comes with some unusual fringe benefits...

New Surroundings

Most days I head back to my rental after work and dig into homework or plans for the move. Twice now I've been greeted by a few of these furry friends.

. 

 

It is always fun when you are in a new town because there are always some unfamiliar things that probably seem normal to the locals. 

The grocery store has Raspberry Coca Cola and Georgia Peach Coca Cola. There's a ginger beer called Cock N Bull. And these interesting sanitary wipes...

Unfortunately, I took this picture before the crazies came out and bought all the toilet paper. Had I known what craziness was about to ensue, I would have bought a couple of packs of Bob's Butt Wipes for good measure. 

It's all gone now.

Yep. Some yahoo from Oregon came into town and scooped it all up. Not sure why the store didn't put a limit on it. They all have limits now but at the beginning of the tsunami, I guess they just weren't expecting it down at the local IGA. 

That was about three days ago. There's still no toilet paper in that store. 

Anyhow, I'm keeping with the plan and still moving forward. Definitely looking forward to getting the move over with and settling down. 

I don't know about ya'll but them other folks out there...are just a little too crazy for me.

Everyday Essentials

Posts like this always remind me to keep the essentials on hand. A few things worth having around: a set of storage bins, a daily planner, and a durable tote bag.

Can You Kayak While Pregnant? What Every Paddling Mom Needs to Know

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Can You Kayak While Pregnant? 

At a glance, kayaking and pregnancy are on two ends of the spectrum. At the risk of sounding stereotypical, the former is a physically intensive activity.

On the contrary!

The latter is one of the most vulnerable and beautiful stages in a woman’s life. 

If you are one of those amazing women who love to kayak and is expecting a child, it is quite natural to question whether you can combine the two safely.

Your priority is taking the utmost care of yourself and the precious child. But your passionate heart for the open waters can be just as insatiable.  

Have you been asking this question lately? Welcome! You have come to the right place. Allow me to take you along this post as we find out the answer to this question.

Standard disclaimer: I’m not a doctor and you should consult your personal physician before undertaking any questionable activity during pregnancy. 

Is it safe to kayak while pregnant? 

Although a general consensus seems to be a resounding yes, I personally think there is no straightforward answer.

This is notwithstanding the fact that I am a male and totally incapable of deciding what a pregnant woman can or cannot do. I leave that up to all the extraordinary women out there! 

However, as an avid kayaker and father of six beautiful daughters, I feel that I have valid reasons why I am not willing to bluntly say that you can go out kayaking while pregnant.  

Here is my explanation.  

Whether you can go kayaking or not while pregnant depends on a lot of factors. These include: 

The stage of your pregnancy 

The stage of your pregnancy dictates a lot of activities that you can do or cannot do. The same applies to kayaking. If you are past your second trimester, then you have to cut down on a lot of strenuous physical activity.  

It also depends on if you have had prior complications with previous births. Doing sonography for 10+ years, I have seen many women prescribed bed rest at the end of their pregnancy.

Kayaking is a demanding activity that requires a top physical form. While kayaking, you may also be required to carry the kayak, which is not ideal for your body at this stage.  

Then, of course, some women also have it worst in the first trimester. Some can have a severe form of hyperemesis gravidarum, where vomiting and nausea can make pregnancy miserable.

This can be exacerbated by any type of motion, including kayaking in the water.  

Some pregnancies are also considered high-risk. Your doctor is the most qualified person who can give you this answer.

However, if your pregnancy is deemed to be high-risk, there is no reason to consider kayaking during this fragile state.  

But if you are not well advanced in your pregnancy, and you do not have health problems, you can kayak while pregnant. But there will still be potential risks, as they’re usually are whether you are pregnant or not.

The type of kayaking 

Another factor that you should take into consideration is the type of kayaking that you have in mind.

Some types of kayaking inherently involve more danger than others, irrespective of whether you are pregnant or not.  

If you are talking about having a leisurely paddle in calm waters, then you might be able to get away with kayaking.

This, of course, is assuming you are not well advanced in your pregnancy.  

But if you are talking about winter kayaking or kayaking down a rapid, then I would advise against it.

I wouldn’t say that my opinion is the ultimate answer. But ask yourself if the thrill of paddling down a frothy river for the adrenaline rush is worth risking the precious soul you are carrying.  

And getting back in the kayak after a spill can be tricky.

The type of water body 

Some water bodies are calmer than others by nature. Since I kayak very frequently in the Snake River, I will cite this is an example.

This river is a kayaker’s paradise, but it is also very windy in the canyon at times and can test your skills and your body.

Some features, such as the Shoshone Falls, where I frequent, are definitely not for a pregnant woman.  At least not if you get too close. (There are no barricades.)

The best tip I can offer is to find calm water bodies where you can paddle safely. An excellent example is kayaking on the Hudson River.

Water bodies like this can give you the required physical exercise to stay active without compromising your safety.  

Other water bodies that you can kayak while pregnant are Folsom Lake and Loon Lake. If you live around the area or have access to it, I would say they are pretty safe for recreational kayaking, even if you are pregnant.   

Tips for safe kayaking while pregnant 

If you feel confident that you can go kayaking while pregnant, the next plan of action is safety. Some top tips you can follow are: 

• PFD – I have been talking about this, and I will continue to do so. This is the single most crucial device that can protect your life. It is never wise to go out kayaking without a Personal Floatation Device, whether you are pregnant or not.  

• Sun protection – This includes a high spectrum of SPF, sunglasses, and hats.  These items are one of the bonus suggestions in my 5 Things You Must Have post.

• Water and snacks – Pack extra bottles of water and snacks even if you anticipate going out for a short duration on the water.  

• Never go out alone – I have gone kayaking solo and I must admit, it was very unnerving. The idea of being the only one on the water was rewarding yet the danger of having nobody near to help me in case of an emergency was daunting. Always ask a kayaking partner to accompany you during your adventure into the waters.  

• Take it easy – Considering that you have a lifetime to keep kayaking, a period of nine months isn’t so bad to go without. You can kayak all you want after you have delivered the baby and recovered.  

An occasional recreational paddling or kayak fishing for a couple of hours while pregnant is absolutely fine. But pushing your body to its limits during these months can come at the expense of your health and the baby’s as well.

So if you do go, try to take it slow while kayaking and pregnant.  

Final thoughts 

As thrilling as it is to kayak, balancing it with pregnancy is not easy. It can be harder if you have always been physically active.

But you don’t have to be couped up in the house the entire time. 

You should be able to continue kayaking even as an expectant woman, within reason. The bottom line is to listen to your body and your doctor’s advice before you undergo any kayaking.  

If you are one of those expecting a baby, I send you best wishes and positive energy! 

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🛶 Safe & Comfortable Kayaking Gear

• Adjustable PFD for Pregnancy — Look for adjustable chest/waist buckles that accommodate a growing bump comfortably.
• Wide Stable Kayaks — A wider, more stable hull is essential for peace of mind on the water.
• Comfortable Kayak Seat Cushion — Extra padding makes longer paddles much more comfortable.
• Earth Pak Dry Bag — Keep your phone, snacks, and essentials dry and accessible.

Full gear: Kayak 101.

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Always consult your doctor before kayaking during pregnancy. Affiliate links support this blog at no extra cost to you.

Bugout to American Redoubt Timed Perfectly for CoronaVirus

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Why the American Redoubt has been on my Radar for a Decade

Part 4

COVID-19 is Doubling Every 1.8 Days

In my half-century, I've seen a few health scares come and go: SARS, Swine Flu, Bird Flu and now Covid-19. Add to that some serious recessions, 9/11,  and a handful of major natural disasters and it became clear to me that preparedness was no joking matter.

If I were single it might be a different story. I remember about 15 years ago, I was discussing disaster preparedness with a police-officer-turned-healthcare-worker friend of mine. I asked him what he would do in an SHTF scenario.

He was single at the time.

His answer: "Come to your house because you have stuff saved up."

He has since become very involved in prepping and has done an admirable job becoming prepared on his own. He is also now married and has a family that tends to add urgency to this kind of thing.

 I started my family in 1996 and it wasn't too long after that where I started thinking about becoming self-sufficient. It was a little more than a decade later, in 2010, that I started putting what I learned into practice and writing about it on this very blog.

Preppers are Tin-Foil-Hat Wearing Loonies

Remember the hype around 2009 that tracked and mocked the "Prepper Movement?" The Doomsday Prepper show went on the air and many people started to take notice. 

I got the same treatment as a kid when I was in Cub Scouts. The snotty kids in the Catholic school I attended made fun of Scouts and I didn't understand it then. 

But I do now. 

People mock what they don't understand. Things that are different from what they perceive as normal become fodder for ridicule.  Often times it stems from pure ignorance on the subject matter.

These same mockers are the people who have zero food storage and think they can visit their local Walmart when a disaster hits. 

The Bible actually talks about this in the story about the Sermon on the Mount. Out of the thousands of people that listened to the talk, some mocked and laughed... and some were perplexed. The rest believed. There will always be mockers and laughers and the perplexed. As explained by the late Jim Rohn (YouTube video link).

Regardless, I have always seen prepping as a sort of strategic game. Can I be prepared enough to get my family through a tough spot if it ever comes up?

Prepping Brings Peace of Mind

Once I secured several years of food preps and water filtration, I set my sights on skills. I don't need to review them, I've posted about most of them on this blog. 

But one strategic part of this "game" is location. That's where this post ties into my series on Getting Out of Dodge. 

When I lived near Phoenix, Arizona there was no chance of escaping many of the issues that could confront my family in an emergency. 

But systematically I have moved my family closer and closer to the center of the American Redoubt.

And the Covid-19 is a perfect example of why location matters. When it goes gangbusters, which is probably this month, we will see some large-scale problems. 

If I were still near Phoenix, supplies would be dried up. There already were limited water resources... it's the freekin' desert.  And the greatly overpopulated cities would be presenting numerous problems.

And point-of-fact, my mom is still living there. I have to figure out the trigger point that says it is time for her to drive to my location for caregiving. 

Now, and at my prior south Idaho location, the population is sparse. The town of 2600 (both locations are the same size) is a bit removed from large cities. 

My new location even has a local hospital which is very uncommon for such a small town. 

Why Am I Bringing All This Up?

Because regardless of how Covid-19 plays out, I have a much better chance of survival than most of the country. More importantly, so does my family. 

So stay vigilant my friends. Watch the news and always take it with a grain of salt. Keep your preps up and keep adding to them. 

Looks like we could be in for a bumpy ride. 

Covid-19 Data I am Tracking

SARS was the trial run. It originated in China around 2002. It swiftly spread to other Asian countries, with a few cases elsewhere. 

Isolation seemed to cease the advancement in 2003. Of the 8100-ish cases reported, there were 774 deaths. 

That's a 1 in 10 kill ratio. Or 0.1 which is 10% for you folks in Rio Linda, as Rush used to say.

BTW, the 2004 SARS outbreak was linked to a lab in China. Sound familiar? China is 0 for 2. 

Now we have the Covid-19 coming out of a lab in China. Efforts to contain it have failed.

The positive is that it doesn't appear to have that high of a death ratio but it has the potential to infect a much higher number of people. 

I found a study, and it looks pretty sound, that says Covid-19 has an average of 0.05% death rate. I say that because the WHO is only showing a 0.037% death rate on their website. 

No matter how you look at it, it isn't good.

Gear Worth Having Along on a Redoubt Bugout

A move like this goes smoother with a few essentials packed and ready before you need them. A reliable portable jump starter covers vehicle trouble in the middle of nowhere, a vehicle emergency kit handles the basics if you get stuck along the way, and a good road atlas or offline GPS unit is worth having in case cell coverage drops in more remote parts of the Redoubt. Preparation before the trip matters as much as the destination itself.

Gun Bill S. 66 - aka Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 Summary

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Graduate Analysis on Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 & the Return of Feinstein

We interrupt this blog series to share with you a bill analysis on the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019. 

Some of you may know that I am in my final rounds of higher education. I'm smack-dab in the middle of my doctorate program through Nebraska Methodist. Woo hoo!

Because, you know, I don't have enough going on in my life right now...

My assignment was to analyze a current bill and I had chosen the assault weapons ban. 

My analysis: This old dog won't hunt. 

Since this audience might appreciate a summary of the attack on your personal freedoms, I thought I would upload the assignment for your enjoyment.

You can see the current state of the bill here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/116/s66

Assignment 3.1: Bill Analysis

S. 66: Assault Weapons Ban of 2019

·         Summary of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019

     Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, has reintroduced Senate bill 66 again. The overview on GovTrack.us says that it is a bill to “regulate assault weapons, to ensure that the right to keep and bear arms is not unlimited, and for other purposes.”

     And for other purposes? That’s just a little concerning in my opinion. Let me break the whole thing down for you real quick:

1. It  bans 205 specific guns by name. When she tried this bill in 2013, the list only contained 158 guns.
2. It continues to ban hundreds more with the verbiage “...any assault weapon that accepts a detachable ammunition magazine and has one or more military characteristics including a pistol grip, a forward grip, a barrel shroud, a threaded barrel or a folding or telescoping stock.”
3. It bans any gun parts that can turn a semi-automatic into a fully-automatic weapon.
4. It does include a Grandfather Clause but still requires a full federal background check for any future ownership transfers, including leaving it grandchildren.
5. It requires all Grandfathered weapons to be stored in a vault or with a trigger locking mechanism.
6. It will prohibit the transfer of any gun magazines that hold 11+ rounds, period. Once you die, it must be turned in for destruction.
7. It bans folding stocks and pistol arm braces.
8. Interestingly, it bans products from a specific company called Thordsen.

·         Examine the potential impact of this legislation.

     There are a ton of potential impacts from this legislation. Let me list the ones I can think of:

●      The biggest impact of this kind of bill is that it only keeps weapons out the hands of law-abiding citizens. Criminals will still buy and use them. There will just be less law-abiding citizens who could be using them for self-defense.

●      #2 above calls out a ban on parts that turn a semi-auto into a fully-auto. It is known and documented in the gun community that a skilled shooter can fire off 700 rounds per minute shooting one bullet at a time. The modified trigger on an M3, for example, once fully automatic still only allows 450 bullets to be fired per minute.

●      #4 requires the guns to be locked or kept in a vault. Many of these guns are owned for self-defense. How do you defend against a home invader if your defense weapon is locked up? The Texas gunman was stopped with one of these weapons.

●      #8 bans “Thordsen-type grips and stocks” which should make this whole thing unconstitutional. You can call out one company’s products by name.

●      It appears to have no Sunset Clause. So if it passed, there would be no end to the ban. The 1994 Federal ban had an end date of 2004.

·         Identify bill sponsors and key legislators for this bill.  

Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Booker, Cory [D-NJ] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Cardin, Benjamin [D-MD] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Carper, Thomas [D-DE] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Casey, Robert “Bob” [D-PA] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Durbin, Richard [D-IL] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Gillibrand, Kirsten [D-NY] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Harris, Kamala [D-CA] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Hassan, Margaret “Maggie” [D-NH] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Hirono, Mazie [D-HI] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Markey, Edward “Ed” [D-MA] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Menendez, Robert “Bob” [D-NJ] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Murray, Patty [D-WA] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Reed, John “Jack” [D-RI] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Sanders, Bernard “Bernie” [I-VT] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Schumer, Charles “Chuck” [D-NY] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Smith, Tina [D-MN] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Warner, Mark [D-VA] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (joined Jan 9, 2019), Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (joined Apr 4, 2019), Kaine, Timothy “Tim” [D-VA] (joined Jun 3, 2019), Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] (joined Sep 9, 2019), Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (joined Sep 9, 2019), Coons, Chris [D-DE] (joined Sep 12, 2019), Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI] (joined Sep 12, 2019)

     Notably, all are Democrats...except for Bernie Sanders.

If the House of Representatives or Senate has already voted on this bill, how did your representative or senator vote?

No votes or roll calls yet but here are my state legislators:

Senator James Risch

Senator Mike Crapo

Representative Mike Simpson

Representative Russ Fulcher

How might health policy be influenced by this legislation

     The Democrats hope that in passing this bill there would be fewer mass shootings. But there is no health policy that I am aware of that relates health policy to automatic weapons.

References

GovTrack.us. (2020). S. 66 — 116th Congress: Assault Weapons Ban of 2019. Retrieved from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/116/s6

Unfortunately, I wrote this after several blog posts and had my brain in blog post-style formating. So it wasn't well-received outside of a scholarly APA style article. I'm sure it had nothing to do with my opinion. I ended up with a 29 out of 50 points due to formatting. 

I have since rebounded back to A grades in all my classes, in case you were concerned :-)

Here are the comments from my professor:

"Good start, but you did not expound on this point and provide arguments for both sides."

"Scholarly papers use several references to support/ expand viewpoints."

Rubric: Written as a formal paper with title page, introduction, and summary.   APA format, professional grammar, punctuation, and spelling utilized throughout written work. References used are appropriately cited. Body of paper is appropriate length (800-1200 words),

0 point given

10 possible points

Ouch!

Everyday Essentials

Posts like this always remind me to keep the essentials on hand. A few things worth having around: a set of storage bins, a daily planner, and a durable tote bag.

Scout Trip - Headed to the Heart of the American Redoubt

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Scouting the American Redoubt for a Homestead Location

Part 3

Let the Roadtrip Begin

Once I got all packed up and gassed up, I made a few last pitstops for road supplies and headed north. I've traveled enough on the road that I know what works for me in terms of keeping my brain occupied and staying awake. 

In high school and early college, I used to drive from Oklahoma to Arizona to visit my mom. It was a good 18 trip one way. That is when I learned the value of taking plenty of good music to keep you focused and in some cases energized.

Now that we have cell phones (didn't have them in high school), it is easy to pack along some entertainment for long trips. Include some headphones in your Bug Out Bag and you can keep your brain busy for a long time.

A few of my favorites include having podcast episodes to listen to and movies to watch. Some of my faves that take a while to watch on Amazon Prime:

The Hobbit series takes a good seven hours for just the three movies. My total trip was around ten hours so if I get bored, these guys will keep me entertained for a long time. I'm headed out on my own Unexpected Journey so it seemed appropriate.

 Lonesome Dove is another good one. 

To change it up, I still like to check in on Cody every now and then too. He's a real inspiration of a man taking on social media and still keeping up with solid, healthy content. 

Although, I noticed under my OJD login on YouTube that it offered me to "JOIN" once I got to his channel. I had joined his channel back in the very beginning when he started. It was a recommendation from JW Rawles on SurvivalBlog to check this young man out. 

Rawles was not wrong. Cody has been pumping out solid videos for around ten years now. I called in on his show once too. 

Anyway, when I clicked to JOIN his channel again, I was prompted to subscribe for $4.99/mo for access? I guess you have to be a paid member now to join his channel?

Well, it's worth it. I would support Cody with that one. I like to watch his videos from time to time still. If you haven't seen his stuff, go pay him a visit.

He ran a contest one time and encouraged submissions of parody videos of himself. I submitted what I thought was hilarious but didn't win anything. 

You can see the video I submitted called Coyote Attacks Dog - Shoot with Glock 26 Mashup. 

So with my audio/video cache full, I added a few snacks for the road. I find a few Snickers bars and Twix candy bars help during periods of heavy eyelids.

I grabbed a large Diet Dr. Pepper and was headed north for St. Maries, Idaho.

I couldn't resist taking a quick photograph of this hilarious church marquee on the way out of Twin Falls. 

The Cruise Control Route

I altered my course this time around and sought a route that would spare the switchbacks and cell signal dead zones.

I know enough people that visit the Coeur D'Alene area that I was offered many route suggestions. This time I headed slightly west by northwest and went through Oregon and Washington on my way to North Idaho.

I was able to use my cruise control and relax my legs during the first seven hours of the trip.

Then I was tempted with a GPS prompting to choose one of three routes that branched off east and terminated at my destination. 

The most southern of the three options would save me 28 minutes and after seven hours, I was ready for less driving. So I took that final leg of the journey.

Bad choice. I ended right back in the switchbacks and internet dead zones. 

I should have taken Kennewick through Spokane. Sure, it would have been longer but cruise control is worth it. 

Nevertheless, I finally arrived at my destination. 

Well, Hello Deer!

Finding my assigned "hospital apartment" was easy enough. The hospital had arranged for me to stay in a nice little place while I scout out the area for a more permanent solution.

I hopped out of my van and began to walk up towards the back porch so I could check out the place. Before I got very far from the van, I noticed a decent pile of scat near the steps to my back porch. 

I looked up and quickly snapped a picture of these two apparently just hanging out next to my porch.

I had heard rumors of "town deer" before and now I met them firsthand. I could handle seeing wildlife like this in my backyard on a regular basis.

The home turned out to be decent when I arrived Saturday night. Sunday I reported to church. 

Come See This Property

As church wrapped up, I sat and watched the congregation mingle and chat. I would be getting to know these folks very well in the next few years and I enjoyed sitting back anonymously and observing. 

As fate would have it, the first gentleman who approached me ended up knowing where there was a nice piece of property for rent right on the edge of town. 

It belonged to his friend and neighbor who had since relocated for work. He was now interested in renting out his home and this friendly neighbor had a key to the property.

A few brief phone numbers and address exchanges and I had an appointment to view 22 acres the very day after I arrived in St. Maries.

I have some great pictures and will describe this fantastic property in my next post. For now, It's 2 am and I'm getting a little droopy around the lids. 

I need to finish off my late-night snack and head to Snoozeville. 

Steamy beef consomme and a ham sammy 

Thanks for sticking around on my journey. I'm having fun and I hope you are too. 

Types of Tranportation for Getting Out of Dodge

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Transportation for Relocating Your Belongings

Part 2

The Silver Bullet

This week was filled with errands. Some were long-standing items on my To-do List. Others were more spur-of-the-moment.

Like buying a license plate for our pig trailer. Marked that one off my list today.

The trailer was a needed purchase that I made a few years ago.

It was getting difficult to find people willing to transport our 4H pigs from our home in Filer to the fairgrounds.

The fairgrounds are where the weigh-in scales were located. 4H pigs have to be weighed frequently leading up to the county fair.

"You ain't gettin' us in no trailer boy!"

You see, pigs are disqualified from being shown at the fair if they don't weigh over a certain weight.

If they can't get into the fair, they can't be auctioned off at the end. That's where the girls make their money for next year's pig.

Since the scales were at the fairgrounds, I needed to transport our pigs there about once a month while raising them from May-August.

That's why I bought the cheapest little trailer that I could find. It was a Senior Project built by a local high school young man. Nothing fancy but it got the job done.

And it was only $200.

But it had no license plates. So today, while marking other things off my To-do List at the DMV, I decided to get a plate for The Silver Bullet.

The Silver Bullet aka Senior Project Pig Trailer

It got that name from friends who would see me zipping around town during Fair time on the back streets. Back streets because it had no plates. Zipping, as in hurried, so I wouldn't get caught.

Obtaining my Star Card

The main reason that I was at the DMV was to finally get my Star Card. If you want to travel by air after October 2020, your Driver's License has to be upgraded to a Star Card to get you on the plane.

Of course, a U.S. Passport and military ID still work too.

Moving to a new town means we won't know where anything is for a while. Five years in Filer means that I know the town and many of the town's people.

Getting in and out of the DNV quickly is no small feat. But in Filer, not only was I in and out in under 45 minutes but I accomplished three To-dos:

1. Obtained my Star Card for airline travel
2. Switched the plates from my recently sold Suburban to my wife's car
3. Registered new plates for The Silver Bullet

Tip: When it comes to Getting Out of Dodge, you want to tie off as many loose ends as possible while still in your familiar environment.

In a big city where busy passersby don't even look at each other, it could take hours to accomplish ONE item at the DMV... let alone three.

That's one of the benefits that I enjoy while living in a small rural town in the American Redoubt.

Sis is Staying Put for Now

Earlier last year we helped Sis (our eldest) buy her first home. At 21, she's ahead of the curve on that front.

This was possible by taking out one credit card when she was 18 and using it once each month. Then paying it off.

She had a great credit score by the time she was 21 years old and she bought her first home. We call it a "Starter Home" as it is about 600 sq ft total. But it has all the amenities she needs.

She's following a career path in healthcare just like her parents. She completed the CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) school program and is in the middle of an LPN (Limited Practice Nurse) program. Next will be an RN (Registered Nurse) school at the same local community college.

If you are looking for a career, it is hard to go wrong with nursing. It pays a good salary and the demand is through-the-roof.

These facts are why she will be staying behind in Filer for a while.

Continue Downsizing Your Stuff

Part of our plan is to get rid of unnecessary assets. We have 5 cars so I gave our Suburban to Sis. 

I signed the title over to her and she went to the DMV to get her own license plates.

This left me holding my original plates which were just renewed last month in January.

Idaho doesn't allow for refunds so I transferred my plates to Lisa's car. Hers expire in April so in the end I only lose March and April on her plates.

This accomplishes three things:

1. I have one less vehicle to keep on my property, 
2. One less vehicle to carry insurance on, and 
3. One less vehicle to keep a monthly maintenance schedule (it drinks oil like cool-aid on a hot summer's day.)

I think I said that last line in my head with Forrest Gump's voice...

But I bought it back from the insurance company for a mere $400 after the fire. It was parked close enough to the house during the fire that the back half melted. So the insurance company totaled it but it still ran just fine.

We named it Frosty: it is white and melts in the heat. 

It just looked like a droopy Picasso painting on the backend. Now Sis gets it until it finally quits.

A Uhaul Hunting We Will Go

I started at the Uhaul location with the most positive feedback on Google but they were out of auto haulers.

Tip: pay attention to reviews keeping in mind they can be manipulated. 

The employee was still helpful even though he was short on trailers. A few clicks on his keyboard and I had reservations down the street at a Uhaul location that had two car haulers left.

Jordan runs a tight ship at her Uhaul branch. While she filled out the technical paperwork, I played fetch with her chocolate lab that hangs out in her office.

Jordan's Uhaul location is clean and professional in Filer.

With the trailer attached to my van, I found that I had a new problem. No turn signals on the trailer.

A quick inspection of the harness and I could see it had seen better days. 

Which turned into no turn signals at all somehow. Luckily, FSS (our local Filer auto mechanic shop) is right across the street from my house.

Another great benefit of where my house is situated. Remember, if you are looking to move to Idaho, my home is for sale here. 

Which reminds me, don't forget to BOOKMARK this site so you can "Keep up with the Joneses."

They worked my van into their busy schedule that same day because Eric knew I  was leaving for north Idaho soon. Eric runs a clean shop, has fair prices, and does really good work.

Sure enough, my 1999 Chevy Express needed a whole new wiring harness and "brain."

By 5 pm I had the orange Jeep loaded and all lights were working.

We don't need no stinking ground clearance.

But as you can see, this idea looked way better in my head. My 1/2 ton Chevy van was no match for the load. The data said it could handle it but I could tell the suspension in my passenger van wasn't made for this.

I  could move the jeep halfway back and center it on the trailer... but then there's the tire problem.

33 inch tires were too big for the webbed tire straps. I would have to get four axle straps to secure this jeep down.

Tires were too big for the straps.

At the end of the day, I just wasn't comfortable with the rig. So I decided that this first trip would just be for scouting. My van has 238,xxx miles on it as it is. I'm not in the mood for more problems.

It is planned to be just a short trip anyway. I was going up to fill out paperwork and scout for a property to rent. I thought it would put me one step ahead if I towed the CJ7 up there with me and left it at the hospital.

But given that there is still some ice up north and this rig was not the most secure, I'll leave the CJ until I can tow it with a big Uhaul truck.

Jordan was quick to refund me and wished me safe travels. 

Transportation for Getting Out of Dodge

So you always have a few options when moving your things to a new location.

• A Uhaul-type business that rents trucks and trailers for DIY
• Your own pickup trucks and trailers which is the least expensive way to go
• Pods or boxes that can be dropped off at your home and filled up. Then the transportation company delivers the pod to your new location. This is an expensive option.
• A full-service moving company that does it all. You box it up. They load it, haul it, and unload it. By far, the most expensive option. 

For your notes, here are the prices I've seen on some of these while researching for our move (or on previous moves):

Uhaul car hauler: $50/day with insurance

Pods dropped off at your location: $699 each (and we would need several pods)

Full service: we did this when moving from Mesa to Flagstaff - $11,000 for a family of eight. And a fair amount of our stuff was scratched/broken/ruined.

If I owned an enclosed trailer, I would certainly go that route. It would depend on the size but it would definitely be the least expensive transportation.

Of course, there's always the Nuclear Option. Get rid of all your stuff before you move. I've seen folks do this when moving out of the country to Ireland and such.

It would be somewhat liberating. But I'm an American. I love my stuff. I need a house just to put my stuff somewhere. And a garage for all my extra stuff.

That's an old George Carlin bit. That was one funny dude.

Time to get back to the To-Do list.

Everyday Essentials

Posts like this always remind me to keep the essentials on hand. A few things worth having around: a set of storage bins, a daily planner, and a durable tote bag.