Zoom

Zoom is my truck, and I love him dearly. He's a 2003 Nissan Frontier SC 4x4, with a 3.4 liter 6-cylinder supercharged engine that has been upgraded with a high-end K&N air filter and a cat-back exhaust system. The only drawback to Zoom is his gas mileage. Currently I am getting 14.5 mpg city and 18 highway. I am going to increase that however, by laying off the gas. Slower acceleration is the key.

I have spent a lot of time researching additional upgrades for Zoom, including a flatbed, run-flat tires, a front winch-mount bumper, safety film for the windows, and a canvas shell for the bed. In the end though, I figure that the current configuration is the lightest, cheapest, and thus will deliver the best mpg. And unless I win the lottery, I can spend the money on better things. The important thing is to keep him in fine running condition by having his fluids changed regularly.

Food for thought: A pickup with a Cummins turbo-diesel would have gotten MUCH better gas mileage...

Advice from the Future

I just read about this dude who started posting on the web in 2000, claiming to be from the future. His moniker was John Titor. Titor's story was a lot like that of John Connor's (in Terminator): He was a soldier from the future who survived a nuclear war and returned to the past to pick up an archaic piece of technology that was needed in his world. It's great theater, check him out on the web. Titor left this list of things to do to prepare for the future:

1. Do not eat or use products from any animal that is fed and eats parts of its own dead.

2. Do not kiss or have intimate relations with anyone you do not know.

3. Learn basic sanitation and water purification.

4. Be comfortable around firearms. Learn to shoot and clean a gun.

5. Get a good first aid kit and learn to use it.

6. Find 5 people within 100 miles that you trust with your life and stay in contact with them.

7. Get a copy of the US Constitution and read it.

8. Eat less.

9. Get a bicycle and two sets of spare tires. Ride it 10 miles a week.

10. Consider what you would bring with you if you had to leave your home in 10 min. and never return.

Pragmatism and Apocalypse

Am reading Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation Into Civilization's End by Lawrence E Joseph (ISBN: 978-0-7679-2448-1). It's an impressive book: Funny, inciteful, intelligent and well-researched. The best thing about it, though, is that Lawrence Joseph presents both the scientific AND the philosophical/spiritual arguments for cataclysm in 2012. In a word, his writing is pragmatic. Only six months ago I pooh-poohed the 2012 scare as just that - another scare. But now the fever grips me and I am...concerned. Fear is growing inside me.

We have three years til 12/21/12. That gives me three years to get my house in order. A goodly amount of time! Time to get in sound physical shape, to perfect my diet, to become a capable gardener, to get LittleFoot up and running, to gain additional rural/urban homesteading skills, to get my financial house in order, and to learn a skill that will allow me to make a living in the post-industrial world.

I'm already addressing several of these aspects, with more plans on the drawing board.

The iPhone

I bought my first cell phone (ever!) 3 weeks ago, and it has revolutionized my life. It is capable of doing so many things that it is best described as providing "All information at all times." It functions as a phone, camera, movie camera, scanner, GPS, video game console, level, flashlight, ruler, TV/movie monitor, Kindle ebook reader, MP3 player, internet browser, email interface, fuel economy gauge, currency converter, calculator, compass...the list goes on and on. It has voice recognition for Google internet searches. It turns spoken word into text. It scans barcodes and does automatic price comparisons. It provides directions and maps at the touch of a button. It tracks me live on maps as I drive around. I can send and receive text messages and voice messages with it. It is now one of my most prized survivalist tools. I predict that in a few more years, tiny cell phone-based notebook computers will replace laptop computers. I can't wait!

The Hopi Prophecies

"This is the First Sign: We are told of the coming of the white-skinned men, like Pahana, but not living like Pahana -- men who took the land that was not theirs. And, men who struck their enemies with thunder."

"This is the Second Sign: Our lands will see the coming of spinning wheels filled with voices. In his youth, my father saw this prophecy come true with his eyes -- the white men bringing their families in wagons across the prairies."

"This is the Third Sign: A strange beast like a buffalo but with great long horns, will overrun the land in large numbers. These White Feather saw with his eyes -- the coming of the white men's cattle."

"This is the Fourth Sign: The land will be crossed by snakes of iron."

"This is the Fifth Sign: The land shall be criss-crossed by a giant spider's web."

"This is the Sixth sign: The land shall be criss-crossed with rivers of stone that make pictures in the sun."

"This is the Seventh Sign: You will hear of the sea turning black, and many living things dying because of it."

"This is the Eighth Sign: You will see many youth, who wear their hair long like my people, come and join the tribal nations, to learn their ways and wisdom.

"And this is the Ninth and Last Sign: You will hear of a dwelling-place in the heavens, above the earth, that shall fall with a great crash. It will appear as a blue star. Very soon after this, the ceremonies of my people will cease."

"These are the Signs that great destruction is coming. The world shall rock to and fro. The white man will battle against other people in other lands -- with those who possessed the first light of wisdom. There will be many columns of smoke and fire such as White Feather has seen the white man make in the deserts not far from here. Only those which come will cause disease and a great dying. Many of my people, understanding the prophecies, shall be safe. Those who stay and live in the places of my people also shall be safe. Then there will be much to rebuild. And soon -- very soon afterward -- Pahana will return. He shall bring with him the dawn of the Fifth World. He shall plant the seeds of his wisdom in their hearts. Even now the seeds are being planted. These shall smooth the way to the Emergence into the Fifth World."

Growing Sustainable Infrastructure

At this point in my life I am interested in sustainability and sound infrastructure. To that end I am engaged in several ongoing projects.

The first is LittleFoot, my low-tech homestead in Trinity County. On 4.4 remote wooded acres, with only a single one-room cabin, LittleFoot is as simple as simple gets. My motto: Simple doesn't break. So, no utilities or plumbing at the homestead. Rooftop rainwater catchment and water tanks are on the drawing board, as well as a treehouse, fenced garden, and an additional road and building pad. Everything up there - the cabin and the furniture in it, even the land itself - was bought at bargain basement prices or obtained for free.

The second project is an orchard at my parent's place. Fencing has begun, with fruit trees forthcoming. Avocado trees, a walnut tree, a fig tree and apple trees are all on the wish list. I am pushing my parents to eventually add chickens, milk goats and rabbits.

The third project is my pickup truck. I have placed a deposit with a local garage to get a high performance K&N air filter and a Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system installed on it. These two gizmos will increase power and fuel economy, while reducing emissions.

In addition, I have purchased a rice cooker, a juicer and a food dehydrator in the last 6 months, and these three machines all make significant contributions towards greater health and self-reliance.

More to come†