Bushcraft and homesteading skills in WW3

[Chris]

Recovering from a sprint is the hard bit - with adrenaline I think there are a lot of unfit people who could run incredibly fast over a short distance.

But their cardiovascular system and groin/hamstrings/quads will have something to say about it in the aftermath.

I track my VO2 max using my watch and found the absolute best activity for me at least (after Couch to 5K to get my body used to moving again) is doing interval training (fartlek) and cadence drills. Running for an hour can be easy once you've done a bit of practice, but doing sprint intervals for 20 mins can really make you feel like you've run a marathon.

 

[HorseGuy]

Unless you are Tom Cruise. But he does look good for his age and in shape.
Maybe that deserves further thought?

I've seen old farmers in their 60's who are still strong enough to pick up a heavy bale of hay in each hand and easily toss it into a trailer. I bet most people in their 20's couldn't do that. They don't do any specific training. It's just the result of a hard lifetime being an active farmer (not all farmers are the same as I've seen plenty of fat ones too).

 

[Broch]

I've seen old farmers in their 60's who are still strong enough to pick up a heavy bale of hay in each hand and easily toss it into a trailer. I bet most people in their 20's couldn't do that. They don't do any specific training. It's just the result of a hard lifetime being an active farmer (not all farmers are the same as I've seen plenty of fat ones too).

60's? that's a mere farming youngster around here - and that's no joke

 

[Falstaff]

Well I was very fit and able to sprint every week at the running club until I was 48 and got married! All downhill from there, then a big improvement when I took a physical job. Then sitting around during COVID and weight loss has really killed my strength and stamina.

On wheeel barrows - I made a platform board for mine, with fitted battens underneath to keep it on. It makes life a lot easier moving heavy sacks, boxes, you name it. There's not the same strain trying to lift it out of the barrow, or loading stuff onto it's flat platform.

 

[Chris]

I've seen old farmers in their 60's who are still strong enough to pick up a heavy bale of hay in each hand and easily toss it into a trailer. I bet most people in their 20's couldn't do that. They don't do any specific training. It's just the result of a hard lifetime being an active farmer (not all farmers are the same as I've seen plenty of fat ones too).

There's perhaps also an element of suvivorship bias here, because there are also lots of people in manual jobs who have serious mobility issues as a result of their physically demanding jobs. We don't see the ones stuck at home, disabled and unable to bend their knees.

 

[HorseGuy]

On wheeel barrows - I made a platform board for mine, with fitted battens underneath to keep it on. It makes life a lot easier moving heavy sacks, boxes, you name it. There's not the same strain trying to lift it out of the barrow, or loading stuff onto it's flat platform.

That is a good idea!

 

[Broch]

There's perhaps also an element of suvivorship bias here, because there are also lots of people in manual jobs who have serious mobility issues as a result of their physically demanding jobs. We don't see the ones stuck at home, disabled and unable to bend their knees.

That's true of sportsmen/women too - fitness is good for you, sport can be crippling.

 

[TeeDee]

Well I was very fit and able to sprint every week at the running club until I was 48 and got married! All downhill from there, then a big improvement when I took a physical job. Then sitting around during COVID and weight loss has really killed my strength and stamina.

On wheeel barrows - I made a platform board for mine, with fitted battens underneath to keep it on. It makes life a lot easier moving heavy sacks, boxes, you name it. There's not the same strain trying to lift it out of the barrow, or loading stuff onto it's flat platform.

This correaltion has been noted before.

Cause and effect ?? The Jury is still out.

 

[NotSafeForWork]

Before we start this discussion I respectfully request that we avoid talking about global politics and instead keep this thread on the subject of bushcraft. So I think it would be best to avoid sharing our personal opinions regarding the moral rights or wrongs of what any specific country or politician may be doing. Thank you in advance.

Ok, with that out of the way… We’ve all seen the news headlines lately saying how Europe/NATO is preparing to transition away from the current proxy war with Russia and towards a direct kinetic war with Russia. Hopefully this will never happen but what if it does? How would your bushcraft or homesteading skills be of benefit to you if we were in a direct war.

Let me give you an example. One of the things which would be likely to happen would be electricity blackouts. Whether these would be permanent for very long periods or just intermittent for a few hours or days at a time it is something which would be highly likely to happen during in a war. Most normal people would struggle if it came to preparing some wood and starting a fire then using it to boil water for cooking or drinking purposes but with your bushcraft skills it would would be a doddle for you to do.

So how else do you think that your own bushcraft or homesteading skills and tools could be adapted to be of a benefit for you and your family in a war time situation?

It's interesting that people think power out that mains water will run-it won't
It's interesting that water tanks are out in favor of combi boiler or other tank less systems so no water to flush toilet.
Sewage is pumped and no electricity no sewers as they back up.

They can bang the drum for the meat grinder war machine, but there is Nothing that will make me get involved and nothing that scares me with No Gods and No Masters.
Expect an ultra reactionary reaction to any "Orders"
Everything I have is merely on loan until I eventually died, I do not fear something I have no control over and not vain enough to think it can be avoided.

My neighbours are as intelligent as gold fish and would run around like headless chickens the solution will be not to let them know what resources we have - mentally citizens are dependent.

Stay away from towns and cities and forage whatever is available. WW3 has already started with a proxy war- like a slow motion Chernobyl and third world invasion.

Grew up with nothing, expect a war would have nothing also.

NotSafeForWork

 

[gibson 175]

It's interesting that people think power out that mains water will run-it won't
It's interesting that water tanks are out in favor of combi boiler or other tank less systems so no water to flush toilet.
Sewage is pumped and no electricity no sewers as they back up.

They can bang the drum for the meat grinder war machine, but there is Nothing that will make me get involved and nothing that scares me with No Gods and No Masters.
Expect an ultra reactionary reaction to any "Orders"
Everything I have is merely on loan until I eventually died, I do not fear something I have no control over and not vain enough to think it can be avoided.

My neighbours are as intelligent as gold fish and would run around like headless chickens the solution will be not to let them know what resources we have - mentally citizens are dependent.

Stay away from towns and cities and forage whatever is available. WW3 has already started with a proxy war- like a slow motion Chernobyl and third world invasion.

Grew up with nothing, expect a war would have nothing also.

NotSafeForWork

That's cheered me up!LOL. Good point about no electricity means no water running and sewage being pumped.

 

[HorseGuy]

It's interesting that people think power out that mains water will run-it won't
It's interesting that water tanks are out in favor of combi boiler or other tank less systems so no water to flush toilet.
Sewage is pumped and no electricity no sewers as they back up.

They can bang the drum for the meat grinder war machine, but there is Nothing that will make me get involved and nothing that scares me with No Gods and No Masters.
Expect an ultra reactionary reaction to any "Orders"
Everything I have is merely on loan until I eventually died, I do not fear something I have no control over and not vain enough to think it can be avoided.

My neighbours are as intelligent as gold fish and would run around like headless chickens the solution will be not to let them know what resources we have - mentally citizens are dependent.

Stay away from towns and cities and forage whatever is available. WW3 has already started with a proxy war- like a slow motion Chernobyl and third world invasion.

Grew up with nothing, expect a war would have nothing also.

NotSafeForWork

I bet you get invited to as many parties as I do.
Just kidding. You do make a fair point.

Luckily where we are there are a couple of nearby fresh water springs dotted around the local village. My horses drink water pumped from one of them every day. Like most of the bushcrafters and ex-military people on this forum I also know of several different ways to filter or purify dirty water to make it safe to drink. 99% of the population seem to have little idea about it though. My guess is that if WW3* were ever happen then waterborne sicknesses would likely claim more lives than those killed as a direct result of kinetic weapons.

* Not the half-hearted sparring which is happening at the moment. But a full on, gloves off, no holds barred, east vs west fight with no rules.

 

[Herman30]

It's interesting that people think power out that mains water will run-it won't
It's interesting that water tanks are out in favor of combi boiler or other tank less systems so no water to flush toilet.
Sewage is pumped and no electricity no sewers

We had a total black out a few weeks a go. First thing I did was to fill buckets with water to flush toilet with. Luckily not needed, black out lasted only an hour or so.

 

[Falstaff]

In London I had that happen with a combi boiler and no tank. In the absence of buckets I filled my bath, and use a clean pan to take it from there for everything. Worked fine.

 

[slowworm]

It's interesting that people think power out that mains water will run-it won't
It's interesting that water tanks are out in favor of combi boiler or other tank less systems so no water to flush toilet.
Sewage is pumped and no electricity no sewers as they back up.

That's why I posted up a link to the details containing public health advice from the UKs Chief Medical Officers to be broadcast during a national power outage.

I saw a few stories about these details, but no links, so had to track them down. They should be publicised now rather than waiting for a disaster when it's going to be too late for people to prepare.

Public health advice from UK CMOs during a national power outage

Scripts containing public health advice from the UK's 4 Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to be broadcast during a national power outage.

www.gov.uk

 

[Falstaff]

Like when there's a code Red weather warning.....when you know power lines will go down etc etc. But did they? No, only for use for a Proper Disaster, total national wipeout of nothing.
Probably afraid of spreading fear and alarm, or abuse from folk who have been thru' this in the past.

It was partly due to ignorance that local authorities had contingency plans that led to Boris's rotweiller ignoring everything/everybody and try to re-invent the wheel. When informed, he refused to use them.

 

[Laurentius]

It's interesting that people think power out that mains water will run-it won't
It's interesting that water tanks are out in favor of combi boiler or other tank less systems so no water to flush toilet.
Sewage is pumped and no electricity no sewers as they back up.

They can bang the drum for the meat grinder war machine, but there is Nothing that will make me get involved and nothing that scares me with No Gods and No Masters.
Expect an ultra reactionary reaction to any "Orders"
Everything I have is merely on loan until I eventually died, I do not fear something I have no control over and not vain enough to think it can be avoided.

My neighbours are as intelligent as gold fish and would run around like headless chickens the solution will be not to let them know what resources we have - mentally citizens are dependent.

Stay away from towns and cities and forage whatever is available. WW3 has already started with a proxy war- like a slow motion Chernobyl and third world invasion.

Grew up with nothing, expect a war would have nothing also.

NotSafeForWork

I am pretty sure our sewage is gravity fed, it follows the river valley and was built in the 1960s and was tested out by men driving minis down it

 

[Laurentius]

Like when there's a code Red weather warning.....when you know power lines will go down etc etc. But did they? No, only for use for a Proper Disaster, total national wipeout of nothing.
Probably afraid of spreading fear and alarm, or abuse from folk who have been thru' this in the past.

It was partly due to ignorance that local authorities had contingency plans that led to Boris's rotweiller ignoring everything/everybody and try to re-invent the wheel. When informed, he refused to use them.

I know the local paper was predicting the Apocalypse and I confess I was rather disappointed when none of it materialised. The snow has all washed out this evening.

 

[NotSafeForWork]

You can pencil me in as a Covert Anarchist if you like, in real life happy for people to carry on and be blissfully unaware.
Found that state not interested in me so I'm self employed and generally left alone.

It's a bit like a front row seat at a circus watching the clowns.

"If" I was to prepare it would be cache's of items in various places and playing as dumb as rest of society.

Regards boring:- last 15 hours migration of Lamp server to its third LTS distro, multiple websites are WordPress and multiple sites with php plugins and themes that break. ( if that means anything)

I've had a few drinks this evening as well.

 

[NotSafeForWork]

Choose life.
Choose a draft-dodging existence in a world gone mad.

Choose a reinforced Harrington jacket over a Kevlar vest.
Choose "urban camouflage" that looks like a tracksuit but blends into the concrete of a crumbling council estate.
Choose heavy-duty Dr. Martens for stomping through the wreckage of a recruitment office.

Choose a burner phone with an encrypted OS.

Choose a signal-jamming pouch for your signal-jamming life.
Choose a second-hand military surplus parka with the patches ripped off—ironic, functional, and definitely not for parade duty.

Choose a high-calorie diet of protein bars and resentment.

Choose a flat in a high-rise that’s off the digital grid.
Choose a sturdy rucksack filled with essentials that don’t include a "Join the Army" pamphlet.

Choose a tactical belt worn under a thrift-store sweater.

Choose a beanie pulled low to dodge the AI facial recognition software of the very people trying to send you to the front lines.
Choose a sharp wit and a faster pair of sneakers.

Choose to be a ghost in their machine.

Choose to be the one who didn't line up.

Choose to outlive the politicians who started the mess.

Choose your own path. Choose to stay alive. Choose life.

 

[Wildgoose]

I don’t want to make too many assumptions but I imagine most of the members on here would dodge the draft by virtue of age?