rvprepper's podcast

We discuss the many options for personal hygiene.

In this episode, we discuss being new to firearms and the journey in purchasing a firearm. Many ladies have had challenges at gunshops in the firearm purchasing process. Rhonda has some very valid comments about the process and how it really builds barriers between the customer and the gun shop.

The election is done and the new administration has been installed. Is it time to stop prepping yet? That answer is HELL NO! It doesn't matter if your choice of candidate got into office or the opposing candidate got into office. You must always stay alert and be aware of what is going on politically, locally and financially. Now is not the time to let up with your preparations. So, are we on doom and gloom watch? In my opinion we are not at this time. However, the political atmosphere across the globe still has our adversaries spooling up to do damage to the United States of America. Will that affect you and your family? My answer is, I sure hope it doesn't. But, being a realist it probably will. So let's jump into some scenarios and see where we go with our preparations. If you're new to the prepping lifestyle and it truly is a lifestyle, then there is much to learn and much to absorb. We have been involved in this lifestyle for more than four decades. Do I feel like chicken little running around saying the sky is falling? No not really. But I do keep looking up. There has been an ample amount of alarmist that have made their podcasts and YouTube channels feeding that belief. One could say that the RV prepper podcast is just like that. I will not deny that I have not alarmed people along the way. But if a warning is justified in my mind, then I am going to get the news out any way I can. Do I feel more comfortable with the current administration in power? And to that, I'll answer I am cautiously optimistic. Do I feel safer than when we had the previous administration in power? Time and actions will be the judge of that. It can all change in an instant. So we just keep learning and building our preparations. One thing that we have not focused on a lot in the RV prepper podcast has been on the subject of firearms. Just like underwear it's a personal choice. We're going to be taking some time in a few episodes this year to talk about firearms and their place in the prepping environment. We have talked about firearms in previous episodes and the need for true hands on training from competent trainers. This is an important step that many people shortchanged themselves by not getting competent training. There is a plethora of trainers across the country. You need to do your due diligence and check references before you sign up for one of them. It can be a fabulous environment for you to learn safety, responsibility, accuracy, and realizing that you don't have all the answers. When you do spend your hard earned money and go for training, go there to learn from that instructor and not to teach that instructor that you are better than him or her. This happens a great deal. You must have an open mind and be willing to learn a new skill. If you want a recommendation, drop me an email inforvprepper@gmail.com and we will be more than glad to provide you with some. When you ask somebody what a prepper is they will more than likely say that they are a nut job waiting for the world to end. I can confidently and honestly say there are many people just like that that have declared themselves preppers. They live that lifestyle, to be ready for that conflict should it come. Our goal is to avoid any type of conflict as much as possible. But we must be prudent in our training to be ready to protect ourselves, our family and friends should the need arise. In several of our episodes both Rhonda and I have talked about us working on the 80/20 rule. The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, suggests that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes. So with that thought in mind, will 20% of our preps be able to cover 80% of the hardship should they arise. Who knows. This sounds good in principle but it's hard to believe in practice. We always work on a Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) in an effort to become more sufficient with our preparations. We often review where we stand as far as water, food, fire and other supplies. Adjustments have happened a great deal in the past. Now? We appear to have hit a level of readiness that stable. Is it complete? It depends….. We have often stated that you can't be prepared for everything. Even if you're a mega billionaire that can build a big bunker on an island in Hawaii. You can't buy your way into success. But having that kind of money certainly helps. You could have all the money in the world but if you don't know how to take care of yourself and to support others through learned skills, then the money is just tinder to use to build a fire. Many people think preppers are lonely people that go off and hide in the woods and drop out of society. The truth is there are many like that. It is where they feel safe from what they perceive as a threat. Perhaps it is also that they just want to be left alone. Many are just everyday average people stocking a little extra food at their house along with some water, extra clothes and sometimes guns and ammunition. The joking mantra of preppers is "Beans, Bullets and Band-Aids". Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? While those items will help you to survive, there are skills that far outweigh their value that is truly needed to thrive and survive. I want to ask a favor of you. Please send us an e-mail to inforvprepper@gmail.com And tell us what you think prepping is or should be. I value your input and we respond to every e-mail we get. Skills Skills diminish went they are not used. Are we the best at keeping our skills sharp? Unfortunately, no. We are working on that challenge, and it is starting to get caught up to date. We often use our down time to test products and evaluate their effectiveness. There are some good products out there. However, there is a plethora of crap too. If I were asked to give a percentage of the skill level right now, I would have to judge it at 85%. Room for improvement is a continuous struggle. I want perfection and I want it now. Maybe I should call JG Wentworth! Being a social neighbor led me to let my neighbors know on either side of our house that we are there to help them should the need arise. Perhaps I was foolish to do that. Politically were 180° apart. However, I trust our neighbors. They are good people. It has been said by many prepping authors and trainers that you can't go it alone. That statement is true for the most part. There are always exceptions. We help our neighbors when we are asked and sometimes we help when we are not asked. Like a surprise snowfall, Rhonda and I will get out and shovel the walks. One of our neighbors usually gets up at least two hours before we do and many times he has beaten us to the punch of shoveling the walks. And we appreciate that and always thank him for his efforts and deeds. And we depend equally on the neighbors to the other side of us that are much younger than we are and many times if we are late getting up they will also shovel our walks. We extend the same gratitude and appreciation to them as well. But out of the three houses we're the only ones that have a snow thrower. And when the snow is deep enough, it gets cranked up and goes to work. We had something funny happen this year when our younger neighbors asked us if we were going to crank up Big Orange and plow. I answered in the affirmative and laughed like hell. We all had a great laugh. Neighbors look out for each other. We are a community and we'll do anything to help our neighbors out. We also know that they would do the same for us if asked. I have become known as the neighborhood snoop. Not that I creep up on people and look through their blinds. I am home a great deal of time depending on our travel schedule. When I am here, I pay attention to people, vehicles and animals that are moving through the area. Even in my aging process, I still keep memories of cars, faces and animals. I note when I see them and look for any oddities. People are creatures of habits usually walking the same direction each and every day. I pay attention to our cameras in order to evaluate traffic around the house. Am I paranoid? I don't think so, I just call it awareness. I pay attention as often as I can. This is known as situational awareness. Just today I had a solicitor come to the door as I am writing todays show. I scared the hell out of him when I talked to him through the camera system. I felt it strange that they were out trying to inspect siding and roofs for possible sales. I have about 18 inches of snow on the roof right now. I declined of course. His image is on the hard drive in perpetuity should something go wrong in the neighborhood. Pay attention to your area of operation. Look for oddities, look for trouble. Verify, Verify and Verify. And stay prepared to Thrive and Survive.

On this episode, we discuss the vehicle load out for cold weather. While the list is long, we can always forget something. Check it twice.

In this episode, we discuss the never ending list as well as other thoughts.

Hurricane Helene Podcast Came ashore around 9 pm on September 26th. Hit the big bend area of Florida and traveled across Florida, Georgia, NW South Carolina, Western North Carolina and East/Central Tennessee Massive devastation and loss of life have occurred. Death toll has exceeded 100 and it is climbing. Whole towns have been destroyed and many large cities have been crippled. Interstate 40 and 26 have had road and bridge washouts. Side highways and other roadways have been destroyed and/or compromised. Charitable organizations are mobilizing to bring much needed food, water and shelter as soon as they can. What can you do? Plenty… It has been said that CASH is KING! And it is if you know who you are donating too. Our choice is Samaritans Purse. They are located in Boone NC and they're area has been hit hard. Money helps get the ball rolling and they also have volunteer needs to go into the areas that are in need. The rebuilding will take many years due to the shear scale of devastation. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Mercy Chef's is highly recommended by one of our friends that is knowledgeable with their service. World Central Kitchen International Disaster Emergency Service Cajun Navy and Cajun Navy 2016 Check Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, the Charity Navigator, Charity Watch or GuideStar for the best information. Florida Disaster Fund The Florida Disaster Fund is the state of Florida's official private fundraiser for disaster relief. The fund provides financial assistance to communities as they respond to and recover from emergencies or disasters like Hurricane Helene. Visit The Florida Disaster Fund website for more information and to contribute. T​he Community Foundation of Western North Carolina T​he Community Foundation of Western North Carolina is a non-profit that serves 18 counties of western North Carolina with unrestricted charitable funds. Contributions can be made at their website. E​astern Tennessee Foundation T​he state of Tennessee has set up a fund to assist recovery in the eastern part of the state. The Neighbor-to-Neighbor Disaster Relief fund operated through the Eastern Tennessee Foundation will help non-profit organizations across a 25-county region. You can donate here. Plus there is the Salvation Army and others as well. We try to keep the funds in local charities as much as possible and not pay it to a GoFundMe sight as the host takes a large percentage of the proceeds. Samaritanspurse.org is a great place to start, Rhonda and I are looking at schedules to be able to go and volunteer on a build project for Samaritan's Purse as soon as our schedule allows. We have been deep in prayer about what we can do for the long term during the recovery.

A coup d'etat is a French term that means the overthrow of a government, usually by illegal means and with the threat of violence. Experts, whoever that may be, has said that Democrats persuading President Joe Biden to drop out of the race for president doesn't meet that commonly used definition. None of us are privy to what was said or threatened to cause Joe Biden to withdraw from the race Biden remains in power and Democrats' persuading him to drop out of the race and then using party rules to replace him on the ticket is not illegal. There are many opinions on this matter. Some say Yes that it was a coup Some say no, it wasn't a coup. Yes, Joe Biden is still the president, even in his diminished state and let's make no joke about it, He is living in a diminished state and that was confirmed by the DOJ in their interview with the president. There have been many speculations as to just who or whom is running the country. Nobody knows and that my friends is what they do not want you to know or question. To say that we are living in perilous times is an understatement. The world is at the precipice of a global war that will, more than likely, involve a nuclear exchange. The threat is real, and it COULD happen. Could does not mean that it Will Happen. The chances have gone up and nobody will know that is has until the launch has happened. Currently, the DNC is having their convention in Chicago for all the world to see. Kamala Harris has already been selected as the candidate to be the nominee. This was done without a primary process and Kamala Harris has not received a single vote to be the candidate for the office. Think of this as an Arranged Marriage is sort of a twisted way. How does this make you feel?? There is always the cry of democracy by the parties. This process was not democratic. It was arranged behind the scenes by the power brokers that know that they are in control. I have a question. Did you vote for Joe Biden to be president for a second term? Do you feel cheated that he was forced out? Is Kamala Harris you choice for president? Meaning that you voted for her in the primaries as your choice for PRESIDENT? Oh wait… that would be impossible because Kamala Harris wasn't on the ballot for president. Do you feel cheated of your right to free and fair election? We do have a process for voting and this cycle just got thrown out the window. Elections have consequences and this will be a historical election. Or should I say SELECTION? Because nobody voted for the democratic party selection. What are some of your thoughts on this subject? Email me inforvprepper@gmail.com I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. What action do you need to take? VOTE! Speak Out and be heard. Prepare in any way you see fit. Stay out of the danger zone. Do everything that you can do to Thrive and Survive these perilous times.

This is Part Four of our series, The Long Trip Home.