Hurricane Sandy

We watched in horror as the storm rolled in to the east coast, New Yorkers are pretty tough cookies, But i must ask, and wonder....why did they try to ride out a storm if they were not prepared?

I see on the news today that residents of areas without water or power are fighting and feeling desperate without basic supplies.

http://news.yahoo.com/exasperation-builds-day-3-storm-stricken-nyc-202314418.html

I know the decision to stay is valid, and I am NOT judging them for choosing that, however I pity them, honestly if it were me, I would have packed the Bug out Bus long before the storm rolled in, and took a road trip. Taking along with me all my precious cargo, my food, blankets, and irreplaceable family heirlooms, As we speak, we have the bus ready to roll at a moments notice, with food, blankets, and basic supplies, with 72 hours notice, we could easily pack up all (ALL) our families needs and happily hit the road.

I hope and pray the people affected by this Frankenstorm will find relief, that they will be warm, fed and comfortable.

I am ever so grateful for the Ark, and the comfort I have in knowing my home on wheels is ready to roll, should the need ever arise.

Learning new Skills

We raised butcher chickens for the freezer. Back in March we got our order of 50 Chicks and with the help of our dear friend, Rebecca we had 36 ready to butcher this week.

(YEAH!)

We are pioneers, we are constantly striving for the skills and practice in being self reliant. One of those skills is knowing what it takes to raise, kill and prepare our own food. (whether it be vegetables , or animals)

In the past we have raised chickens for eggs, beef cows, milk cows, goats for milk & meat.

This was our first attempt to raise broiler chickens.

There are certainly things we will do differently next  time, but each experience is growth and knowledge.

So here are some photos of the butchering day. (that turned into more than one day, since it took longer than we hoped!)

Colorado Wild Fires RAGE

You would have to be living in a bunker with zero contact with the outside world to miss the fires burning in Colorado.

What can we learn from the current situation? What can we do to better prepare ourselves and our families so that WHEN something strikes near us, we will not be destitute.

If you had y our bunker buried under ground near these fires, how do you think they would fare? What would you have to replace and repair after the fires are in control?

Our Bus is fully prepared with 15 minutes notice to pull out and hit the road, we have our 72 Kits prepped in bug out bags, and we have our Bug out Bus fully loaded to maintain our current standard of living.

We will not skip a beat, it will feel like vacation when we are forced to evacuate.

Maybe you have family or friends near the fires (we do...Hi Doug & Julia!)

maybe you fear for their comfort and safety.... when you have a Bug out Bus, you can roll right into town and offer relief to your loved ones, they can climb aboard the bus, and maintain a safe, clean and comfortable living while we pray and wait for the rains to come.

What are YOU waiting for?

We offer the solution to instability, we will build to YOUR budget, we have extensive experience with living in our bus, and we have been building since 1990.

Let us help you Draw up the plan, budget, and time line for YOUR very own

"Ark"

Why are YOU here?

We would love to share videos about our bus, so share with us WHAT would YOU like to see?

Maintenance videos for your B.O.V?

More stories on where we have been and what we have done in our B.O.V?

How-To-Videos or posts on sticky or tricky issues when building a B.O.V.?

Menu, Meals and recipes (everyone LOVES to eat....right?)

General survival Issues?

Medicinal solutions for Off Grid living?

What to do if you have to deliver a baby (yours or someone else) while stranded in a Bug Out Situation?

These are some ideas, we have experience and we have stories, but I really don't want to BORE you all to death.

 Please share what YOU are interested in. What can we share with you about our expertise and experience!

Survival Meals.

Eating is probably the #1 concern for a Bug out situation.

And our family LOVES to eat. We have a few mouths to feed, (between 11-14 depending on who is home) and often have invited guests to join us. Because of this, we have a budget.



When our family travels, we tend to spend a fortune on meals! With a gaggle of kids in tow, we can easily lay down $150 for one meal out.

The ease of cooking a meal in our bus has been one of our greatest pleasures!

We buy groceries as if we are home, and prepare meals very much like we do every day.

We are a budget minded family, in all we do, we tend to scrutinize our expenses to ensure we have enough to provide for our future needs, as well as the capacity to help others less fortunate than us. Eating on a budget includes eating nothing from a box or package. (i.e. No lean cuisine, nor chef Boyardee) .

Here is a typical weeks menu on the road. Variations when we have the opportunity to try local fare, and or a farmers market blesses us with something unexpected.




BREAKFASTS

Oatmeal with honey, butter and dried fruits.
Whole Wheat pancakes with Real Maple Syrup.
Eggs.

French Toast.
Country potatoes. (or hash browns)
Home made bread
Home made Tortillas

LUNCH

Quesadillas
Home made pizza
Muffins
Pasta (Alfredo, spaghetti)
Sandwiches
Chili
Soups
Salads

DINNER

Taco's
Fajitas
Enchiladas
Lasagna
Dutch Oven Roasts
Whole Baked Chicken
Brown Rice & Beans

Home made Macaroni & Cheese
Bean Burritos
Taco Soup
Leftover Chicken Salad
Hand Pressed Burgers & Steak Cut Fries

As you can see our menu is pretty simple, however we never go hungry! and every meal on our menu can be prepared with ease in the bus.

If you would like a copy of my recipe Please comment and I will post a specific recipe for you all!

Next week I will share with you what we have learned about eating our weeds! (and I am *NOT* referring to cannabis weed)

Survival Meals.

Eating is probably the #1 concern for a Bug out situation.

And our family LOVES to eat. We have a few mouths to feed, and often have invited guests to join us. Because of this, we have a budget.
Eating on a budget includes eating nothing from a box or package. (i.e. No lean cuisine, nor chef Boyardee)

Here is a sampling of our every day fare;

BREAKFASTS

Oatmeal with honey, butter and dried fruits.
Whole Wheat pancakes with Real Maple Syrup.
Eggs.

French Toast.
Country potatoes. (or hash browns)
Home made bread
Home made Tortillas

LUNCH

Quesadillas
Home made pizza
Muffins
Pasta (Alfredo, spaghetti)
Sandwiches
Chili
Soups
Salads

DINNER

Taco's
Fajitas
Enchiladas
Lasagna
Dutch Oven Roasts
Whole Baked Chicken
Brown Rice & Beans

Home made Macaroni & Cheese
Bean Burritos
Taco Soup
Leftover Chicken Salad
Hand Pressed Burgers & Steak Cut Fries

As you can see our menu is pretty simple, however we never go hungry! and every meal on our menu can be prepared with ease in the bus.

If you would like a copy of my recipe Please comment and I will post a specific recipe for you all!

Next week I will share with you what we have learned about eating our weeds! (and I am *NOT* referring to cannabis weed)

Bus Design

Why we chose this design

  

When I set out to design our new bus/RV, I was in need of capacity, because I have a large family, 8 of us then 10 of us now. I needed beds to sleep all of us and seats to sit in while we traveled. Places for kids and parents to have some peace and quiet, and some privacy also. I need storage, with that many people living in the bus we would allot of clothes, shoes, tools, toys, books and FOOD!

 (When I say live, initially, I thought of it as a vacation, then a summer, and then I realized it could be full time.)  It all had to be orderly and neat.

 Everything had to have its proper place, and everyone needs their own spot or place or room. The other thing that was a must for me was I had to be able to “walk".

 I cannot stand to have things constantly under my feet. As you can see I was facing a very large challenge and I think our bus has met that challenge, and it has proven to be very comfortable to travel and live in. 

Each item was painstakingly thought of in its design and function, and most things have multiple functions. I also feel that the hand of providence was upon the design and the outcome. Because as the process went on and needs became evident the design of it all allowed the addition to fit perfectly.

 I hope you will enjoy your bus as much as we have enjoyed ours. Your needs can be different than ours, we encourage you to sit down and make a list, be realistic about your needs, then listen to your heart while building your bus, and make changes in design where needed. 

We offer other programs which can assist you in your custom designs. 

Welcome to peace and Safety.  

Wes & Dee Gordon Family