Stocking Preps; how do you manage yours in your RV - if you do?

[Beth]

I'm wondering how most RV enthusiasts store their preps, if they do. We have so little room for..., well, anything, that we chose the shovel-in-the-woods method of storage for items we didn't want to lose and might not be able to get if supply lines were interrupted for any length of time.

We travel almost all the time, but we do return to a geographical home base, if not a brick and mortar one, and we chose to bury our irreplaceables, with good results so far, and our RV gas tank is a generous size, so chances are good that we'd make it 'home' in an emergency situation. Home, for us, is super remote, so we aren't concerned about our hideaway being discovered.

What do you do? Did you give up prepping when you took to the road?

 

[Hfcomms]

I'm not in that position but if I was I would have primarily freeze dried foods in the pouches and would have them stashed all over the coach. Being very light weight, small and in flexible bags you could stash away a heck of a lot in the small space you have to work with.

 

[Beth]

I'm not in that position but if I was I would have primarily freeze dried foods in the pouches and would have them stashed all over the coach. Being very light weight, small and in flexible bags you could stash away a heck of a lot in the small space you have to work with.

Thanks, but I'm not worried about food; we carry enough for three months at a time and we both know how to fish, hunt, and in general live off the land. There are other items, which we have no room to store, and neither would we feel comfortable toting them in an RV - especially across international borders, so those we bury.

I don't trust banks or self-storage facilites, so primitive seems the best way to go. I just wondered what others like us do - if there are any others like us, LOL!

 

[Deemy]

Did you stash on your own land? If not you are taking a chance someone will find your stash.Remote but possible

 

[lectrickitty]

That's something I've been thinking about. I'm getting ready to sell my homestead and go full time RV living. I have a ton of wheat berries that obviously won't go into the RV. I hadn't thought about burying things, but now that you've given me the idea I might go that route with some things. Will probably take the majority of the wheat to a hard core prepper friend where I know I'm always welcome.

I plan to buy a freeze dryer to carry in my RV and I know where to buy 2000 lbs of produce for $200 so will probably freeze dry a LOT of food to carry with, and enough extra to trade for things I need. And now I might hide out some of it underground and record the GPS location so I will be able to find it again. lol

 

[TheGatherer]

I just figure how much I can carry and that's that... I do have a plastic tote with about 2 wks dried food and the TT has 36 gallons of water.. In the truck under the 'truck cap' I carry 'get home bag' and 'I cain't get home bag' (if at this age I could carry it) primary items are water filters, poncho, w/liner, mre's broken down into components, extra socks, paracord,.. I also have a wood burning compact rocket stove with a trangia burner, water bottles (pickup empty 2 lt bottles are good), self protection and hunting stuff, wire for snares, a good knife... and much more and it all fits in a 3 day assault pack... I travel FLA-AZ-FLA every year and having a cache of resupply along the way was a thought years ago, just a plastic barrel every so often, then I changed to storage units... but, who knows now.. I may just stay where I stop...

 

[biere]

Just thoughts, I have no actual camper. Currently using step van as a storage shed more than anything else.

Anyway, the canopy could be sloped a bit to help collect water during a rainfall. I would not put gutters on the camper but some with roof racks have sort of done that.

I sort of think of a pull behind camper and a one ton pickup. Would not need a one ton for the camper I would get, but a one ton offers a place to store some stuff.

I like the concept of boondocking and solar panels and batteries. Put em in the bed of the truck. Truck could also hold more water as well.

I see being mobile as the prep in this instance. Now granted, you might get stuck in some cases but watching for crazy weather and wandering away from it would be a hobby of mine if I full timed.

You can't really store tons, in weight anyway, with being a fulltimer and have it all with you but if you have months of food already with you then work on water and cooking means and you already have your shelter.

I research 4 season stuff partly cause it is made better and mostly cause it would use less propane if I had to heat with propane.

I am one of those folks who is more likely to camp out in the step van and have a tiny wood stove in it than to have an actual "made by a real company" camper and what not.

 

[TheGatherer]

Keep your awning clean and use that to collect water...

 

[Pinecone]

You could keep a variety of seeds in the coolest spot in the trailer so that if TSHTF, you might be able to grow something where you are stuck.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Why does it all have to be in the RV? There are plenty of storage units to cache food and supplies in. Some of them are even climate controlled. Checking around I've found the farther the unit is from urban areas the more reasonably priced they are. If moving from set areas in the country, like chasing 70 degree weather - north in the summer and south in the winter it might work to have cashes along the way?

Feed back from any with experience?

 

[TrueNorthNomads]

I'm wondering how most RV enthusiasts store their preps, if they do. We have so little room for..., well, anything, that we chose the shovel-in-the-woods method of storage for items we didn't want to lose and might not be able to get if supply lines were interrupted for any length of time.

We travel almost all the time, but we do return to a geographical home base, if not a brick and mortar one, and we chose to bury our irreplaceables, with good results so far, and our RV gas tank is a generous size, so chances are good that we'd make it 'home' in an emergency situation. Home, for us, is super remote, so we aren't concerned about our hideaway being discovered.

What do you do? Did you give up prepping when you took to the road?

No, Beth, we do exactly what you do, but we also have a small temperature-controlled storage space for musical instruments, external hard drives, important electronics, a (very) few sentimental items, and so on. We carry a few preps with us, but not
much, as we’re both used to fasting if we need to.

While we too have a great gas tank, we *do* carry survival tools with us at all times, including an expedition-style tent, just in case we *don’t* make it back to Base Camp. :wink:

Sláinte!

Kathy.

 

[Faroe]

I told BF we HAVE to move out to the large acreage he owns, and get away from this meth-head, crime infested "village." My idea is that we will be RV'ing "in place." We were originally going to build a house, but who needs more debt, and I just don't really want to deal with the upkeep. (I used to own rentals, and I owned a lovely paid for bungalo, and we are currently in a charming cottage-like little adobe...I'm over all that.) The other reason: I want a road-worthy van set up and used as a living space incase we need to bug out (hoards of illegals, nukes, fire...). We'll probably keep the majority of our stuff stored on the land, and live as minimalist as possible in the vehicle. I also want other like-minded RV/can/trailer people on our land to discourage the SA style farm invasions that are surely coming.

For you people already on the road, I think just having the ability to get away from any immediate crisis is a prep in itself, even if one feels exposed travelling w/o an extensive pantry/energy supply.

 

[TrueNorthNomads]

Evening all!

I believe that ultimately the best prep (preparation) any one can make is to reach the point of acceptance, of surrender and trust.

Every one living dies; I will, and you will, and (I believe) prepping is simply a responsible form of insurance that will, God Willing, see our families through the unforeseen, be that illness, injury, or a cataclysmic event, or a combination of all three.

Worrying never helped anyone and it changes one’s reality from hopeful to dismal. At the moment, we are all living, and we need to live each moment in peace, and with gratitude and joy. That’s *living,* and we need to enjoy it to the fullest, while helping others to do the same.

I believe that a sensible person will prepare for future days, whatever they may bring, but do so happily, thankful that we can, and *expect* the best while preparing for the worst, whatever that may be.

I’ve been reading this forum for a long time, and so many here are motivated by fear - not all, of course, but too many. Prepping ought not to be an undertaking that we do out of desperation and dread. We rob ourselves of the joy of the moment, of *every* moment, when we live in fear. Don’t let that happen.

We only live once in this world, and we only have to die here once, and there are no exceptions. From the moment of our conception until we each draw our final breath, there are countless hazards strewn along life’s path which, intentionally or not, conspire to kill us, and one of those hazards will eventually succeed. But dwelling on that final hazard will make us miss the joys of the journey, the precious moments, the treasured memories like falling in love, the expression of that; the gift of having children and watching them grow; the gift of our senses and the awesome beauty of the natural world around us; friendships; food; clean water and fresh air; a warm bed; climbing mountains and/or diving in to turquoise waters, and developing the gifts that we each are given, and delighting in the wonder of it all. This is what we’re here for, to live, love, give thanks, and be happy!

So, by all means ‘prep’ continuously, and bury those preps, if/when necessary, but do it with a song in your heart and a grateful prayer for having the means to (hopefully) safeguard your family. Billions of people can’t prep for tomorrow - they don’t even have enough for today. Help them.

I’d *love* to see the fear dissipate from all the otherwise wonderful posts on TB, and I’d love to see the desperation that emanates from too many words on these pages, kicked to Hell, where it belongs.

So, prepare as you can for the unexpected, but for God’s sake, and your own, don’t let it steal your joy!

Life, with all its vicissitudes, is far too brief and wonderful (full of wonder) to waste a moment of it worrying.

Sláinte!


Kathy.

 

[Faroe]

Yes, I'm motivated by fear.

The crime here has been unreal. One handicapped old lady watched as her house got robbed with her IN it. The homeless scene at the library behind our house gets hopping as soon as the weather warms. F***ers! Made me hate spending any time in the back yard. Two summers ago, one of those schitzo bastards took a *special* interest in ME, and left little presents around the perimeter of the yard - flowers he picked from other yards, a little match box car he found...

I do not want to be around that crap!

 

[TrueNorthNomads]

Faroe, do you live a mobile/Nomadic lifestyle, or do you have your RV parked in a permanent spot?

As you know, one of the benefits of mobile living is the ability to move your home at will, so I’m guessing that you’ve chosen to stay in one location...?

Kathy.

 

[Faroe]

Faroe, do you live a mobile/Nomadic lifestyle, or do you have your RV parked in a permanent spot?

As you know, one of the benefits of mobile living is the ability to move your home at will, so I’m guessing that you’ve chosen to stay in one location...?

Kathy.

We are currently living in a house in a small town (rapidly turning in to ghetto). BF owns a large acreage outside of town, and a PITA to access, just because the road out there is so rough for a couple of miles (that's a good thing). We were originally going to build out there, but as I said before, I don't want the debt; debt that will be in my name too if/when we get married.

Anyway after being lukewarm about what to build, and on the fence about everything, and procrastinating endlessly for several years on the bigger permanent decisions, it occurred to me that a mobile set-up would be inexpensive and work best. Connex boxes can take up the stuff overflow. I've camped and toured in a van for months at a time as a young woman on trips to Mexico, Central America, and some solo bike touring in South America. I've backpacked, and lived primitively for months at a time on farms.

I want OUT of this town, and I want that to happen THIS summer. BF will be returning from some international travel early in May, so that is my get-out date.

If we have to bug out of the general area, we will already be mostly packed. If things turn out differently, we can invite a few like-minded RV people to live out there with us for protection.

 

[TrueNorthNomads]

Sounds like moving to unoccupied acreage would be more peaceful. As long as you have on-site water, you can live in anything while you strategize your next step. I’m not a fan of cities, so I can understand your frustration with nasty neighbours.

I wish you peace and success in whatever you choose to do.

Sláinte!


Kathy.

 

[Illini Warrior]

We are currently living in a house in a small town (rapidly turning in to ghetto). BF owns a large acreage outside of town, and a PITA to access, just because the road out there is so rough for a couple of miles (that's a good thing). We were originally going to build out there, but as I said before, I don't want the debt; debt that will be in my name too if/when we get married.

Anyway after being lukewarm about what to build, and on the fence about everything, and procrastinating endlessly for several years on the bigger permanent decisions, it occurred to me that a mobile set-up would be inexpensive and work best. Connex boxes can take up the stuff overflow. I've camped and toured in a van for months at a time as a young woman on trips to Mexico, Central America, and some solo bike touring in South America. I've backpacked, and lived primitively for months at a time on farms.

I want OUT of this town, and I want that to happen THIS summer. BF will be returning from some international travel early in May, so that is my get-out date.

If we have to bug out of the general area, we will already be mostly packed. If things turn out differently, we can invite a few like-minded RV people to live out there with us for protection.

a small town going "ghetto" >>>> there's a question there - is that just your opinion or actual? - if the demographics are that bad you shouldn't be anywhere there - bad road access is only a negative to you and won't contribute to safety ....

 

[Faroe]

Sounds like moving to unoccupied acreage would be more peaceful. As long as you have on-site water, you can live in anything while you strategize your next step. I’m not a fan of cities, so I can understand your frustration with nasty neighbours.

I wish you peace and success in whatever you choose to do.

Sláinte!


Kathy.

There is water. The shallow well once went dry, but when that happened, we had a guy running and watering cattle on it. There is deeper water to be had, and we are planning to drill. f The drill site has already been doused. I use ten gallons a day on my small livestock. I also keep fish, and have hundreds of gallons of above ground storage capacity for roof collection if necessary. Obviously, rain isn't a given in NM, but it does rain here. The videos I've been watching (mostly Cheap RV Living channel) have boondock campers just hauling in their water. They use very little, and have easy and sanitary techniques for doing so. Habitual use of those skills are a HUGE prep in themselves.

BF and I are on the same page with this, and we are both excited to finally get started and move out there.

 

[Faroe]

Well, looks like we are honing some "RV in place" skills early, right here at the house. Water went out this morning. Through the grapevine, the yahoos who run the town said it would be back about noon. Now, the est. is two days (two more days?).

We have the big stock tank with fish, and two of those square caged industrial containers, and a couple barrels of roof run-off. I had buckets inside already for a water change for my indoor goldie, but she'll have to wait. BF went to talk to the neighbors, and everyone was prepped and ready....no, actually that was not quite the case.

I have all the stuff for keeping sanitary in an austere TEOTWAKI situation, but all that is packed away in the disorganized Connex boxes. Will get that stuff out tomorrow.

 

[TrueNorthNomads]

Have fun getting organized, Faroe! There is both a sense of empowerment and peace in having organized surroundings in a chaotic time.

www.cheaprvliving.com is an excellent site. Bob has been a personal friend for years!

Sláinte!


Kathy.

 

[China Connection]

Well if I was camped close to a fishing spot I would be growing duckweed and growing soldier fly maggots and fishing my head off with maggots for bait.

 

[TrueNorthNomads]

Well if I was camped close to a fishing spot I would be growing duckweed and growing soldier fly maggots and fishing my head off with maggots for bait.

I live in the mountains on the shores of a glacial lake, CC, with crystal clear water and plenty of fish, but as with all waters and waterfalls here, it is frozen over for seven months every year. We go ice fishing then, or we used to. Now, with this Ice Age, there is so much snowpack on top of the ice that even extracting water is a monumental task, and conditions are going to worsen until 2024, after which time they’ll stay the same until 2030, and after that (apparently) we’re going to plummet into an Ice Age Proper, which is expected to last for 400-500 years.

Now the temps here often drop below zero at night, even in July. It’s been this way since 2003, the first year that my tomato plants failed to produce fruit. There were plenty of healthy leaves, but no fruit.

The usual hordes of no-see-umms didn’t descend upon us either, and I was puzzled but thought that it must be an anomaly - a cold snap, or some such event that would simply have its way with us that year. But we never could grow above-ground veggies after 2003, and the hordes of tiny insects did not return. We never had any more 90°F summers, and the last snowfall was often in July.

I began to hear words like El Niño, I’ll Niña, global warming (which confused me, as it was clearly colder, but I didn’t know then that it was a progressive trend), and, of course, I became acquainted with ‘climate change,’ but an Ice Age never once crossed my mind.

I began growing my veggies indoors the next year but I had to hand-pollinate them using a small paintbrush. It was a long learning curve, during which time I bought a lot of frozen veggies and hoped that the cooling trend would leave us soon; it didn’t.

The moral of the story is: If you can’t grow it *infoors,* you can’t grow it, period.

Your area is going to experience increasingly severe drought interspersed by massive flooding and torrential rains, and that’s but a whisper of what is to come.

No matter where we live on the globe, CC, ‘normal,’ as we knew it, has exited the realm. ‘Indoors’ is now a happy word - a survivors word, as is ‘underground.’

Sláinte!


Kathy.