Zombie Lessons part 2

LESSON 2- Travel, morality and survival

The decision has been made as to where we plan to go.  In our case this is our Uncles farm which is 165 miles from our current location by normal travel however to avoid major areas and interstates we mapped out a path that while it adds 75 miles is safer. (we mapped out on a physical map the route we would take then used google earth to look at each small town along the way to gage an idea of amenities and safe routes in case of problems)

My Uncle agrees to our family coming to stay there. He says he has room for 4 more able bodied families if they don’t mind living in the barn/outbuildings while the land is worked and property fortified.

Questions-

   Who do you decide to quietly invite on the trip?

 How do you justify your choices?

   What supplies and amenities do you expect those that you chose to provide for themselves?

Knowing what is available at the farm our first priorities are fuel to get there, food for the coming months, any possible canning/food storage supplies and any and all medical supplies we can find.

The RV has a 55 gallon tank and gets 12 miles to the gallon average, how much gas will we need to insure that the RV will make the trip?

(a minimum of 20 gallons but should try to keep it filled and gather any possible extra for generators etc that we can get)How do you justify your choices?

   What supplies and amenities do you expect those that you chose to provide for themselves?

What food supplies do you feel would be important? Why?

My examples are-

Dried beans- they are shelf stable for long period of time and provide excellent nutrician

Dehydrated herbs and spices-they add flavor and help to keep up the immune system as well as moral

Canned fruits and veggies-shelf stable and needed for nitrician

Canned milk-safe for 2-3 years

Dry pasta-shelf stable carbs

Dehydrated meats/jerky- preserved meats can be used for stews easily

Flour

Cornmeal

Oats

Sugar

Honey

Peanut butter

Grits

Cocoa

Coffee

Cooking oil

baking soda/powder

Corn starch

Farina

Dry milk

Rum/vodka/whiskey-serves both medical and non medical needs

Yeast-full on starter will need to be maintained whenever possible also can be used for small beer to make drinking water safe

What medical supplies would you see as needed?

Cold and allergy meds

Ulcer/acid reflux meds

Rubbing alchohol

Peroxide

Pain/headache meds

Vasoline

Soap

Silk thread/needles

Sheets for bandages

Antibiotics if possible

Feminine hygene needs

Bleach

borax

washing soda

quart and pint jars-sterile storage as well as canning needs to possibly come

tooth paste

hemmeroid cream

duct tape(yes it is sterile and VERY multi-purpose)

Packing the van needs to have any supplies immediately needed going in last, people will have to do their best to fit in around the supplies. With the extra people and needs do you feel a second vehicle would be needed or would it be better to try to stay together? If we are taking extra vehicles we can possibly gather more supplies, however its makes defense and logistics change....is it worth it? Security of our people and supplies is the most important thing so after weighing the possibilities what is better, multiple vehicles or a single larger carrier?

After figuring out the moral questions of who and why we chose to take certain people we have to  decide if the needs of our group surpass the need to maintain civil morality by not stealing the things we may need? Would you feel okay taking the neighbors propane tank? What about taking food or fuel? Raiding a vets office for medical supplies? What are your arguments for or against?

Travel will be slow no matter how many vehicles we are taking. The overload of vehicle weights, the need to travel rural roads, and security means travel will be at 35 to 45 mph turning it into a 5-6 hr trip. Slower speed does allow for a spotter and shooter to be on the RV for safety. The decision does need to be made ahead of time what we will do should we encounter other travelers. If they act peacefully do we simply pass without suspect? If they are stranded do we stop and offer help from our own meger supplies? How do we assess the risk of stopping? What if we encounter hostile non infected people? Are people in our party comfortable with deadly force? Shooting an infected will be VASTLY different than shooting a hostile but normal human even if they are bent on doing you harm.

Zombie Lessons

Zombie lessons

Okay so my kids need to learn about some parts of history that they just find wholely uninteresting such as how the pioneers lived. My kids would rather pull out their eye teeth than read stuff like what they refer to as "little outhouse on the prairie" I cant blame them, I DETEST the books myself but they are a good example of how much hard work has to go into life to survive and thrive when needed.

So this gave me the idea to try and teach some of the things only from the stand point of the zombie apocolyse. Survivors would be the new "pioneers", there would be some creature comforts not had by those heading west in the 1800's but the would be a slew of new issues such as finding fuel and avoiding the undead hords.

Lesson 1-Bugging out

The CDC and FEMA have issued a state of emergency. The dead are rising and attacking the living. They are reccomending that people stay in their homes until help can be brought to them. We have held a family meeting and feel this notion isnt safe it is just meant as an attempt to prevent chaos.  The only reccomendations they have had is to fortify our homes, wait things out as best we can and if attacked sever the central nervous system.


These are the things we know-
1- The dead revert to a state of feral instinct, they kill and they eat whatever is not like them. They base kills on site and smell like a feral dog.

2-Sound attracts them. They are attracted to gunfire, alarms, noise in general. This means guns are not always the best idea.

3- The general population is full of panic stricken, sheep like people who are going to clog any major roads

Our assets-

1-The majority of infestation issues are in major cities. Few have been spotted in the area but they will likely increase

2- Despite the warnings Grandpa wants us to take to the hills, he is offering us his motor home since he plans to stay with grandma to "take care of things"

3- We have enough non perishable food to last our family for at least 60 days

4- weapons are a nessasary evil, we are lucky enough to have some knowledge outside the norm and possess things such as 3 machetes, butchering equipment and a crossbow in addition to 2 rifles and 4 hand guns

5-the generator but the question is keeping enough fuel on hand

Our needs-
1-fuel. People are greedy and rarely think outside of their own immediate needs so fuel while expensive is available.

2-Camping equipment such as cold weather gear, water purifying tablets, energy bars, gatoraide powders, lanterns and oil, propane, vitamen suppliments to make up for what our diets may lack, extra clothing and blankets

Decisions we need to make-

Project 1- Map reading and course plotting

On a map of comanche county as well as the state of Oklahoma find our current location and attempt to find what would be a safer area to hide out and wait for the crisis to pass. Look at the topography, the distance from major populations, and the ability to protect ourselves when choosing the location. Plot the route to and possible escape routes from the location of choice.

Project 2- Making a bug out bag

Traveling light is going to be a huge necessity but the need for mental comforts as well as caring for physical needs will be there. What would give you strength or comfort? A special stuffed animal, a book you can read over and over? Cards to pass the time?

Journal entry/ discussion-

   How do you think you would feel in this situation? Do you think your survival instincts could kick in and help you handle the whirlwind of preporations and planning or would fear take over and make things even harder for you

I know, I know its a goofy lesson plan but it has the kids excited and they are thinking and writing so its good. I will share our results and the next lessons as they come.

It's not the heat and humidity but people and stupidity.......

Seriously, has everyone who goes to Wal-mart taken complete leave of their senses? They park like they are quite possibly drunk, dress like I am not sure what(I couldnt figure out how to snap a picture of the woman my size stuffed into the zebra print tube 3 sizes to small, complete with frosted eye shadow and lipstick and streaky orange home spray tan), and allow their children to act like maniacs!!!! I thought I could maybe escape the ghetto factor by going to the Quannah Parker store but no, if nothing it was worse and had to deal with rude employees to add to the fun.


   I am not saying by any means my kids are perfect but come on folks! No parent is required to put up with kids throwing temper tantrums, especially in public! To me that bag of chips and loaf of bread was never worth putting up with the stares and embarassment of my kids acting like complete shitheads. My children LEARNED there are consequinces for their actions! By 3 they knew I was willing to leave a cart full of groceries to go to the car and "discuss" their behavior......not worth the fit.  Kids arent grounded in reality these days and then their parents wonder how they end up failing in school, getting in trouble with the law, and getting pregnant all in middle school. They are never made to face up to the things they do and are taught it isnt their fault, or to blame others and society as a whole. Gee and then I get asked why my kids are so much better behaved and goal orientated? Why is it so shocking my 13yr old wants a JOB??? She wants a car, things like that and doesnt want to rely on anyone but herself, thats better than alot of adults I know! I find it sad that she cant even go work some piddly paper job in this day and age.

Okay enough of the soapbox since I havent updated this in forever.....

Its t-minus 4 days and counting until we cut the clutch of cinnie/spider eggs. We are excited but reserved, between the power outage, the silly psyco mom etc we hope we get a couple out of the 8 at least. We will know in a few days.(yay) I am excited!

We finished the deed on 1208 last week, its been such an experiment in the gross beyond gross hoarder cleanup. (I would trade it for a cute cabana trailor like above....lol)  Not having a truck has hindered us but its just a slow down not really stopping us. I wish I could afford a dumpster but good god that is close to 200 bucks tacked onto the city bill. I may have to suck it up in order to get the stuff done. It wont kill me anyhow...lol. I will post pictures of where we are at this coming week.