A Good Stretch of the Legs

As most of you know Irekq Master of the Deadly art of Vinjitzu is not only the deadliest human being on the in existence he is also a paradigm of wilderness survival. Sunday the 173 day of Vinember he was treating himself to a very short constitutional of 6 miles in the Pine Barrens with his consort and her parents, just for fun. It was at mile 3 when he had stop his winged pace to await his company (“Really.” he thought to himself” You must not be angry with them you are the zenith of human prowess. Of course they cannot keep up.") Relaxing on a nearby stump he put Jerry Reed on his IPod and began to listen. He leaned back on the tree closest to him closing his eyes.

As if he were pulled from his seated position into a battle ready stance like a child playing with an action figure. Opening his eyes to view the cross bow bolt griped in his left hand PETA again, will those fools never learn that their entire army is no match for him? Reluctantly he throws the bolt back in the direction that it came from putting it in the arm of his aslant in the tree. Ending a life does not bring Master Irekq pleasure, however aiding in evolution by dispatching this brigand does. This will be over before his consort and her parents catch up. 1 to 2 minutes tops to bring to a conclusion.

The best way to describe the following event is to first ask if you have seen Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Master Irekq bounds up the tree where his target, the veggie protein eating guerrilla rips the bolt from her arm and fires yet another bolt. Quick little Mary, this PETA mercenary is. Quick but not quick enough, Irekq Master of the Deadly Art of Vinjitzu gracefully steps on the bolt like it was a stair on his way to his prospective murder. Face to face with the spurious aggressor "Shit you are fast!" is spoken to him. “YUP!" is the reply. Snapping the very tree limb they are on with his feet and like a hacky sack pitching into his grasp, Irekq Master of the Deadly Art of Vinjitzu then compresses it into the gullet of his foe. Gracefully descending the tree, limp corpse on his shoulder he finds brush in which he will hide the body from the aged forerunners. His consort is aware of the onslaught against PETA; her parents do not, they are old so why scare them.

Corpse obscured by thicket he rests back on the stump and continues to listen to Jerry Reed. His group catches up unaware of the events that just unfolded. Try again Ingrid! VIVA LA BEEF!!!!!!!

Cutting Edge Journalism.

For hiking as well as the impending onslaught of undead you will need a good pocket knife. The Kershaw 1550st is a good start and happens to be the one I own. Closed it is is 4 1/2 inches long and weights 3.5 ounces. The blade is half serrated at 3 1/4 inches of 13c26 steel. The handle made of polyimide the knife as a whole is pretty well balanced and durable. Assisted opening and thumb screw make operation fast. Liner lock for single handed operation, and the thumb screw is able to be moved for both left and right handed opening. The belt clip is bent out the bottom making it easy to slide into your pocket. I have used the knife pretty hard and it holds its edge nice.

So Far So Good Continued

Well after using the pack for 3 days in a row I now have an opinion on its performance. I like it. The pocket for the hydration pack was great. I filled the 2 liter bag half with ice then in the morning the remainder of the space was filled with water, because the pocket is insulated on both sides the water was cold all day. I had about 5-6 pounds in the pack, it rested on the small on my back which was OK. I have on issue with the pack the cross strap seems a little high and I am going to lower it. Other wise great for a days hiking.

So Far So Good

Now I do not really think that "THE ZOMBIE ARE COMING!!!". No, really they are so be prepared. Anyway if you are in the market for a hydration/backpack for light hiking I have recently procured a Cloud Walker Camelback brand pack that I think will be to my liking. Shall I tell you more? Ok stop begging... I will.

There are three divisions to the pack. The first is an isolated compartment for water that comes with a 2 liter bag. That feature made me very happy simply because you do not have to disturb the rest of you pack to refill the water. The large compartment is just an open pit. The third demarcation has a small Velcro pouch and 3 pen or pencil type holders. A fragment of this part is open and about 3" deep and wide. The larger part is a deep pocket and is wide open.

Two mesh bottle-type open side subdivisions on the outside, 2 side compression straps and a set of 2 loops on the outside back make it like most packs. The shoulder straps are very padded and thick. They are a mesh and seam to keep you pretty cool. The cross the chest strap is half elastic, nice for now. It is really comfortable but what happens to elastic after a lot of use. Hmm? The whole pack is 1340 cubic inches or 22 liters which is a little under 6 pounds.

I love the separations and all the little pockets, I will let you know how is feels after this weeks hike.

When you gotta go you gotta go

I in this section will go a little more in depth and detail as to what I have in my B.O.P. (Bug Out Pack). You may need to do things a little different. I will start with the most important part the backpack. Osprey Atmos 65. 4,000 cubic inches of volume (65 liter) the pack is good to carry 40 lbs, or 5 days. The Atmos pack is my pack of choice for two reasons; completely vented back and padded shoulder straps. It breaths well, I sweat like an animal.

A rain cover for the pack in a must have, keeps everything dry. Of course the hydration pack is 2 liters. Osprey.com if you want to look for yourself. Key part of your pack is placement of the equipment. You know you need a knife, I have two 10" fixed blade Buck strapped to the left shoulder strap upside down, second is a 4" Kershaw folder half serrated I keep in my pocket. My 36" axe in the stow and go straps on the side of the pack right side. Shovel strapped to the outside of the pack I have a Backcountry 3 trenching shovel, take a look you will like it. In one of the two hip side pouches I have my range finder and compass.

Sigsaur Mosquito 22 long left thigh butt out to be easily grabbed by both left and right hand. The Mossberg 500 Tactical in stainless is on a combat sling in front (weather proof, easy cleaning). Flash light waterproof crank powered, in the other side hip pouch along with flint striker and windproof lighter. Rope is in the pack as well as a camping hammock. Sleeping bag is where it goes on the bottom of the pack. Water filter pump, poncho, dried foods, extra socks, and I may have forgotten I also have a spool of 50 lb test fish line. When you do decide to sleep, up a tree in the camping hammock tied between two trees, 15’ or more in the air.

Keep things Straight

I most likely should have started with this. Biters will not be the only thing you have to worry about. As a matter of fact they will be the least of your worries. The living will is a bigger problem than the undead.

Man (and Woman) is a smart, caring, and understanding creature. People, however suck. Mass hysteria will cause a good person to kill you for a loaf of bread. Look at what happens here in NJ when the news even mentions the word snow. The supermarkets are crazy. Not to mention the villains of the world will have an edge, they already do not care about anyone but themselves.

You must be prepared to do what is necessary to protect yourself and those in your charge. The great strategist Sun Tzu said "The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable." Basically The Boy Scout motto "Be prepared". You know if snow makes people push you out of the way for milk, the rise of all who have expired lurking aimlessly with the sole purpose of devouring you, may cause a little stir.

These lifeless cannibals are easily dispatched, if you have a plan. Remember "Be Prepared!" I will assume you have at least the 20 basics. There is a strategy when it comes the soulless eating machines that is quite simple. Going outside is never to be done alone. Pairs, you always leave the house in pairs. Now keep in mind you have the right learn to use and carry any Malay weapon you like to defend yourself. You also have the right to do it with a little with style. I have a 48 inch broad sword and a 36 inch Eastwing axe; I like them both so I switch it up. When fighting the undead you must keep a minimum distance of 3 feet. It is always best to use your the Malay weapon first. No reloading and quiet. From stated safe distance, simply employ the old "Hey what's over there?" trick. By having your partner lead its gaze away from you so you can decimate the beast’s skull with your weapon with ease.

The silenced .22 caliber pistol should only be used in the case of multiple targets. If and when you are engaged by multiple undead pests, your first course of action is to run like hell! That being said you will at some point have to combat the hordes of man eating behemoths. Maintain a controlled and steady aiming process. It is important to practice a rapid target to target sequence. Two to the head at first, after your skill has improved you may use the one shot one kill method. The untamed masses, panicked public, and the miscreants that want your milk! They are your real nemesis. They will kill you, your family, friends, dog, and burned your house down. That is why you go out carrying the axe, .22, and 12 gauges. The .22 is for the walking dead but it will hurt a normal human most of the time making them cry like a little Nancy!

With the corpses walking around things are not normal. So people may have a little adrenaline pumping through their veins and a bit more aggressive thus the 12 gauge. One shot one kill this time in the chest. Even a man in a flak jacket will be knocked on his ass by buck shot to the chest. The man or woman in the flak jacket will think twice while they are on the back on the ground with you over them with the barrel of your gun in their face. The next step is up to you. You have to LIVE with this decision.

Need a light?

You will need a generator, their size and fuel vary. The size of your compound will determine the Kw rating of said generator. I will cover the most common fuels. First off gas has a shelf life of a few days to several months, problem being you have to have a lot of it in storage and the other fuel types are more efficient. Use regular unleaded gas with at least 85 octane for your gas powered generator. Turn off the generator engine and allow it to cool about 2 minutes before refueling.
Hydrogen Gas has many marvelous qualities, although it is not above thermodynamics, more energy is used in the process of production than produced. This is true of all systems but it is the most efficient. This HHO gas is 3 xs as powerful regular gasoline and its byproduct is pure water.
Propane two main advantages: The fuel is cleaner and when used in generators, will not produce as much toxic fumes that are harmful to the environment. The other is that has just about an indefinite life shelf life. Propane is virtually odorless except for the added rotten-egg smell used to determine leaks and is also nontoxic.
Diesel has to be over hauled every 15,000 hours. Propane or gasoline generators will need to be overhauled in as little as 1,000.Generally for at least 12 months. Diesel engines are built to last many times longer than a gasoline powered engine. Diesels are far more efficient, as well.
Bio-Diesel has many advantages to Petro-Diesel. The main one being cleaner burning fuel that is more environmentally friendly. The next being the use of organic by products as part of the fuel. Another favorable advantage is bio-diesel's high lubricity and solvent attributes that reduce wear and tear. With lower cold weather gelling points, it could be troublesome in very cold weather. Like petro diesel, it is also accompanied by fumes and possibly a unique, pungent odor as well. One of the main drawbacks of bio-diesel is its production of nitrous oxide. This could be a plus if you happen to be a dentist. I say bio-diesel. Just stay alive and you have fertilizer and power.
50 kVA or about 208 amps that just over the average of electrical service of a house is the size of the generator you will need. You cannot run the generator all day; you will simply run out of fuel. What does this mean? Solar panels, wind turbine, and depending on where you place your fortress water wheel. Solar panels that are 59" X 39" X 1 1/2" (5 foot by 4 foot) can produce about 7 amps. You will need about 26 of them to produce the same 208 amps. You do not necessary need all of them because you will most likely not use that much power all at once. A wind turbine is a rotating machine which converts the kinetic energy into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used directly by machinery, such as a pump or grinding stones, the machine is usually called a windmill.
The first utility grid-connected wind turbine operated in the UK was built by the John Brown Company in 1954 in the Orkney Islands. It had an 18 meter diameter, three-bladed rotor and a rated output of 100 kW. Turbines used in wind farms for commercial production of electric power are usually three-bladed and pointed into the wind by computer-controlled motors. Water wheel functions on the same principle as the wind turbine. If you are by a river or other body moving water, and decide to use the water wheel you of course not only will you have power but water and a pumping system.

A few things you may need to know

I realize that I did not cover any of the disciplines in which you will have to be expertly skilled to weather the impending storm. What shall we cover first? Sustenance (hunting,trapping,fishing,farming), Craftsmanship(carpentry,plumbing,electric,sewing,ect.),Medical(self-explanatory), most important Security. I realize that this is a whole lot for one person to learn. That is why you should ally yourself with people that can specialize in one or two of these talents. Example a carpenter that dabbles in plumbing or a hunter that can fish are skills that usually go hand and hand. As a group you should all have a basic understanding of what the others job entails so that you can take care of yourself or replace them should the become infected. If they are too inept to remove there own splinter cut them loose, you do not need them.I will start with the plumbing system. Drinking water, hygiene,and irrigation are what we will be dealing with. The rain water enters the building from the roof top by one main pipe where it splits of into three smaller pipes each with a shut off valve. One to the cistern the other has a leads to the garden. When it is raining open the valve and the handle to the hand pump ( yes I said hand pump something this important you do not want left up to mechanical failure) so the water will flow through to the garden. On any other day you will have to use the pump to irrigate. Simply close the valve that goes to the roof and begin pumping. If the roof valve is not closed water will expel out the roof. Everyone pumps there own drinking water with the aforementioned pumps from my Basics list. You will be on the honor system so that there is enough water to go around. I will discuss "Laws and Punishment of The Honor System" at another time.Now lets talk about hot water. After all who likes a cold shower? Remember I said three smaller pipes. The third pipe is done in black pvc and circles the roof three or 4 times. Side by side so the surface area is bigger causeing the water to be heated by the sun faster. The showers will be on the floor below the garden and timed to conserve water. Kind of like a camp ground bath house. You can have individual shower rooms for the modest, or a military style a big room. This part is a little gross. As if the walking dead is not bad enough people still have to use the bathroom. So what do you do with the waste? Here me out. According to a report published by the International Water Management Institution (IWMI), “Even in areas where other water sources exist, small farmers often prefer wastewater because its high nutrient content reduces or even eliminates the need for expensive chemical fertilizers.” Wastewater sludge contains the same nutrients as commercial fertilizers: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Here is the link http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/July-August-08/Millions-of-Farmers-Use-Human-Waste-as-Fertilizer.html. Do your research. As for the urine http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-purify-urine-into-water/.

Home Sweet Home

If you can you should build a home using this as a guideline. Like all homes we should start out with the foundation. Your normal foundation is going to be 16" wide X 36' deep. Yours is going to be 48" deep slab. The first story of your new fortress is going to be a solid pour of concrete 18" thick. You are going to want this to be 15 to 20 feet high. There is only door 8' X 8' X 3" steel hinged on the inside opening out. Simple locking mechanism a cross bar three of them. Side note your vehicle is to be parked on the inside of that door chain hooked to door and frame of car with tension on it (helps keeps the door from being pulled open). Retractable ladder from first to second floor only one. The second floor exterior walls are concrete filled block. You may use standard wooden construction on the inside of the home. I would keep it simple, but it is your home. Make it comfortable you may be there a while. Use this sight to order your windows and you door if you want http://www.safezoneballistics.com/products/bulletResistantGlass.html?gclid=CLiOm-LWypgCFRQhnAodd2xN0w.The roof will be your garden green house ( it should go without saying that the also will be made from the same material as the windows. On this roof you will also have a rain catcher the same system that you would find in Bermuda complete with cistern in the 1st floor. Solar panels for independent power http://www.wholesalesolar.com/california.html?source=google&gclid=CImOmtDYypgCFQUWGgodZ2P20w.As for the location. You definitely do not want to be in New Jersey. The most densely populated state in the union. That makes for a lot of corpses. If you stay you are taking a big chance! I would recommend mid-west or further north. Remember Zombies do not have the sense to come in out of the cold so they will freeze making for easy dispatch. I like to lay them down and play golf. 4!!!!!!!You could always just get a sail boat. You eventually run out of gas. Do not forget the fishing pole.

What time you have left

The bite is first or a scratch. What happens next is as follows. These are scientific medical facts.
Hour 1- Pain and discoloration of the infected area. Immediate clotting of the wound.
Hour 5- Fever between 99 F. and 103 F. Chills, slight dementia, vomiting, and acute pain in the joints.
Hour 8- Numbing of extremities and infected area, increased fever from 103 F to 106 F. increased dementia, loss of muscular coordination
Hour 11- Paralysis in the lower body, overall numbness, slowed heart rate
Hour 16- Coma
Hour 20- Cardiac arrest, cessation of brain activity
Hour 23- Reanimation

Basics

Basics
1- A couple diffrent knives, you get what you pay for. Knives are tools not a weapons and will be useless on zombies.I have 4 a Kershaw "Needs Work" , KA-BAR Becker Tac Tool,  Blast from Latherman, and a 8" Buck fixed blade
2- Leather jacket, a biker one. Bight resistant like the one from Terminator. 
3- Boots, something that comes up to your mid calf. Same reason.
4- Leather work gloves.
5- Silenced 22 caliber pistol, small enough that anyone can fire it and you can carry a lot of ammo. This is for zombies, remember in the head. The silencer is to prevent drawing attention to your location.
6- 12 gauge shot gun, semi-auto or pump. Sure a double barrel has style but 2 shots then reload. This is for the uninfected so they do not steal your stuff.
7- Good may lay weapon no reloading. I recommend Eastwing 36". It is a solid one piece of steal. Has an edge for cutting and a hammer like backside. This is to cause simple blunt force trama. A hard hit is a har hit.
8- Flash light with red colored lens, prevents glare. The optimal choice is one that has a crank instead of batteries.
11- Bouillon cube and dried foods : Enough for 5 days
12- Katadyn Hiker Pro Micro filter one filter are good for 200 gallons depending on the dirtiness of the water at a rate of 1 quart per minute. You also want to treat the water with something. Aquamira water purification tablets is my recommendation. You can always boil the water.( A pot and eating utensils should not have to be mentioned.)
13- 9"x12" 9 mils thick and a 4'x8'  3 mils plastic clothes : Light weight and can be made into a shelter.
14- Short wave and fm radio crank powered
15- Hikers pack with hydration pouch
16- Hat, keep the weather out of your face, your own personal style. Have fun with it. I have ball cap and cowboy.
17- Sun glasses, same reason as a hat.
18- Ultimate Survival Tech. Base  Camp Kit :  Signal mirror, fire starter, camping saw, rescue whistle, wet-fire tinder
19- Compass
20- Range finder, not electronic.
21- 550 cord 200 ft (Paracord 550 lb test)