Mt_Rider

Seeee...I'm getting my wagon packed so we can get on the road. PCS, Q, Mommadogs, STEPHANIE???, Arby?, who else was going? How are you all doing? Can you get any ideas from the lists that have been posted? Any questions? Oh, and I put in a new category you might want to think about: Hunting and Gathering Food: Ok, my list currently: ---MOUSE TRAPS & RAT-SIZED TRAPS {also moles, chippys, etc} MtRider [the laptop is getting hot...gotta give it and me a rest now.... ]

Yes, Mother, the discussion before leaving might save us some headache once we arrive. Two or more heads thinking on a problem are better than one. And my poor head has been thinking I won't fit everything I'd be wanting at the end of the trail. How DID they do it with so little? Questions: How much weight can hang and swing from the wagon cover hoops? My mom mentioned she thot they might have hung the slab of ham from there. Covered in muslin from the flies. I also read they put the bacon in bran to retard getting rancid?? Like your inner cover with pockets. I love pockets. Could light insulation [polyester fiberfill ...turned into quilts later] between the two layers help with heat & cold without being too much weight? Or would it make our canvas covers leak? Do we have a modern improvement on just canvas covers?? Like Goretex? As for room to sleep, I'm giving up that idea altogether. I'm bringing a tent and just acquired 2 very portable cots. And there is that inflatable mattress too. A pain to set up at the end of a long day but...dog would want to be near us and....cat in her corner and...hmmm, need to figure a way to drape a WET tent over the wagon somewhere so it's dry by the next stop. Just inside the back..yet under that long overhang that the conestogas have? I agree on the clothing. I have yet to list that...but I know we'd need plenty cuz they wear out with rough, primitive use and making new is V-E-R-Y laborious. Do we have a cobbler among us yet? I've make moccasins but...good sturdy boots require a skilled master. Trying to edit my list tho, like Mother I'm making a BIG list and then I might try getting 'realistic'. That's a funny line in a UNreality scenario, huh? I suppose I should tell you how our trip is even possible. I have these "wealthy folks" who want to colonize in the far off wilderness due to today's news headlines. But they know they need to recruit a lot of folks who do things like medical, blacksmithing, animal raising, construction, hunting, gathering, cooking, and then we have education of children AND adults and ... So this is why we are "financed" with our transportation needs. These unknown "wealthy folks" have the foresight to know they need a community of skills to have any existence over "cave-dwelling" or "mountain man" style. They are attempting for at least "Little House on the Prairie" level of civilization...and maybe later "The Waltons" level. They believe that investing in hard-working, skilled people will bring good return for their money. ...as in: a fairly decent survival during real Hard Times. But we are supposed to able to take care of our own once we get there too. So back to packing my wagon...again. If I have plastic totes, bags, and buckets instead of wooden crates and barrels, WHY is my wagon so heavy already? If I give up any furniture, china, etc....can I bring my cookstove and portable sewing machine? I need more donkeys...a string of pack donkeys! Uh huh! MtRider [...Mother! Are doing too much hauling your goods all over your house? Be careful. This is going to be a long trip. Is your family coming too? Your DGS would be a joy since he's studied this too. to DGS ]

Welcome certainly, Q!!!! RN & gun/country guy....very good. Valuable folks. We've been waiting for a few key folks to be able to join us... We've finally got PCS back...if still limping along. Somebody go help her lift the things into her wagon, please. ANYONE ELSE coming along? Might be we set off 'pretty soon' and any others wanting to join, well, we'll be traveling right thru your region and you can hook up. AH is chomping at the bit, raring to go. They had an advantage, having thot thru this scenario a time or two and already have their wagon [and the library wagon] packed. You guys did get all my books in there too, right? The big guy for driver sounds good, AH. Especially if we have to unload the library wagon to change a wheel. MtRider makes a note to wheedle another oxen team outta the kindly financial person for spare on that library wagon. Also a spare nice smooth-riding horse for our Quilty! How 'bout a good donkey? I've found they can be smooth...just a bit independent in thinking. LOL Hope we have lush grass and dry weather. Hey Micheal. I have two hunks [5' long?] of iron 'I' beam. Is that the sort of thing you can work with in your blacksmithing? Some wagon train lists include ingots/bars/whatever of iron/metals. What would you need? And what exactly *would* go in a blacksmithing wagon? Have we got a driver for that one? Quilty, have you noticed about our Special Wagons? You can pack your RN gear in with my DH's chiro/herbal stuff. That leaves more room in your wagon for your personal stuff. OK...I *have* been packing as you can see with my edited list. Not finished. MtRider ....packing.....poor oxen!

PCS is baaaaaaack! Hey, if you want to wrangle up a wagon for fixin' meals, all right by me. Once we arrive in our new colony, we might need to do communal meals just so we can get all the work done quickly. Can we put some fold-down counter space on the sides of that wagon....a lunch counter. .....ahem, but....ya gotta cook an alternative to any HOT**SPICEY meals. Whew...DH and Korean DD's used to pull out "mom's portion" and then really spice the meal. Well start packing your wagon....and we'll stuff our really large-size cookware, etc in the chuckwagon. [...pssst, Mother. Is she the one who threatens to cook things like snakes and bugs? ] MtRider [sure hope we get some drivers for all these Special Wagons..... ]

Hey, I think this "Quote Yourself" idea works well. So I'm finally getting to update my packing so far. Added items are marked below. Anarchy, I can see you are putting a lot of thot into this. I'm impressed that you are estimating the weight. I tend to see in "mass"...as in: what can I fit in this space. And I'm so good at it that I can pack very dense .....and HEAVY! <---see why I'm using oxen? ....MtRider adding a couple more oxen to her team... :rollingeyes: gotta go milk...will continue packing later.... MtRider

Yes....if anyone is still working on The Perfect List....go ahead and post a partial and then later, Quote Yourself to be able to bump forward any additions/edits as you work on the list. Remember, this isn't just fun and games with our Conestoga Wagons. InRealLife, any of us may have to load up our Chevy Suburbans or Dodge Dakotas or whatever and really do an "immigration". Not to get gloomy but, remember all the "conestoga wagons" on our highways during the Great Depression? Cars and cars with families camping out and looking in new regions for work. THIS is the modern application of our somewhat fanciful list-making. To KNOW what useful resources you already have and what you might want to purchase towards your preps. OK back to the Wagons Ho UNreality...... Sorry for the absence. I've been hit with my MS Fall Fatigue Thing [my personal name for what happens for an unspecified period of time nearly every fall for me and many others with MS]. Auuugggh! SOOOoooooo fatigued that I feel like I'll pass out when I stand up. I can take short breaks to feed myself or even quickly put supper in the oven/crockpot. But yikes! [MtRider is not a happy camper right now....and it's very fortunate that she loves reading...devouring books right now to pass the time required to be laying down.] Anyway, I might be able to do some computer work from the couch now that I have a laptop. But so far....I keep falling asleep. But I am mentally still creating my list. Just wait for some "adventures" I have planned for WagonsHo participants. MtRider [gotta go lay down again....quickly..... ]

Driver? where you thinking lori would drive? well thats out. and the totes can be turned on their sides when we get 'there' as 'Library book shelves' until the school/Library/Church get built. Oops....guess I read that wrong. Lori volunteering for librarian position..not driver. LOL So we still need Special Wagon drivers. See how complex these things can get? Especially if it's a "colonization" trip to a brand-new location without a town/community already set up. lol on your collecting stuff and heading East. Use that time-machine to transport treasured antiques to our era and you'd have a mint. MtRider [need drivers..... Help wanted. ]

Yea! A librarian AND the driver for the Library Wagon. AND children's books. It's all yours, Lori. I have hundreds of books..... At least we can use light-weight plastic {waterproof} tote containers to pack them instead of adding the weight of wooden crates. So Micheal will be picking up "spare parts" from other's discards. [sounds like a pack rat like me. lol ] Can you make hinges for our cabin doors when we arrive? Those arm thingies to swing the cooking kettle into/out of the fireplace? MrMtR has some farrier tools [chaps!] and knows a bit about ...putting a shoe back on. A bit about correct hoof angles and such. We need some blank shoes in various sizes to bring. [Wonder, IRL, what size my horse wears...and I ought to have a couple sets, JIC ] And a BIG box of horseshoe nails. At least the oxen aren't shod. Good website Micheal listed. Also on same website were these pages. The first 2 are pictures of tools. If you haven't looked thru the Lehman's catalog or visited antique shops, you might want to take a look at the tools. Many of us own/have owned a lot of what is pictured or have seen our grandparents use them. http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/tools.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/tools2.htm This third one [copied here] is another list divided into categories. It lists the item and then the estimated weight. Sorry, the nice columns didn't transfer here. http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/supply%20list.htm {sigh}....guess I'm gonna have to leave the organ behind to save on weight. They are predicting a 5 month trip whereas we are simply traveling for 60 days...hopefully. MtRider [bringing the kitchen sink tho...aka: laundry tub ]

good...we'll likely need MrA's skills with all the hunting for meat and stuff we might do. 1) yes 2) prolly a few tiny communities but availability will be hit 'n miss 3) .....um, prairie, hilly forests, Mt.s, .....reading the history book for the answers. ...and before anyone asks, we'll end up in a good zone for growing but still seasonal. Late Nov for first frost. In our UNreality, we're leaving in early March to arrive by planting in May. Hoping not to run into any late snow. Spring rains will be bad enough with trying to get the wagons/teams thru the mud. That's one thing that could hold us up. Swollen creeks/streams is another. We have routed for bridges or barge passage for the rivers. [pssstt, Mother. What do you call those contrivances with a flat bed boat that hauls with a long rope across smaller rivers/streams. My mind is blank. ] No hostiles except possibly thieves. There are *always* thieves and cutthroats in these adventures. MtRider

I heard it was as simple as a blanket mounted on two sticks & two women friends to hold the screen ......after you'd walked a ways out so that the long line of wagons fore 'n aft couldn't see. Mebbe we can have one of those "Presto - now it's a circle and NOW it's a pop-up potty tent" things. I have one that is really a child's indoor tent [no floor, etc] but it's kinda short. But....such business in not done by ladies standing anyway.... lol MtRider is not really a willing candidate for long skirts. LOL I'd forget and try to leap up on a horse.... Two things that can sometimes get set aside in harsh, primitive conditions: Sanitation and Modesty. After enjoying marshmallow treats [one must lick one's fingers] around a dark campfire, I got a better view of my blackened fingers. Not all of it was burned marshmallow. I exclaimed: I'VE BEEN EATING WITH THESE FINGERS.... MtRider [ 'nuff gabbing and get to my packing list...]

I hate broken links too, Leah. LOL I feel like fixing ALL the smilies that didn't transfer from our last format. OK, I'm detail-picky. If anyone wants to PM me for an edit for their post on a broken link, I'd certainly be willing. [be patient....I WILL get to it... LOL ] ==================== OK, y'all.... We've got wagons to pack. Mother has a pretty good idea on Quoting Oneself and then change within the quote. Is that doable? Mebbe even better cuz we'd all know if someone edited their lists. I find other people's lists interesting and informative. New DATA on our Wagon Trip: 1) With a good stiff wind in our 'sails', we should be arriving at our new home after two months of travel. .....ah....er, if anyone knew me IRL, you'd know that I DO seem to collect the UNEXPECTED EVENTS. So better make sure you are prepared to be on the road longer if unexpected delays happen. 2) If anyone else wants to join us, c'mon and start packing. If you are missing key items, wellllll, think of what you can "sell" for the money to buy your cow or whatever. [check Mother's Mormon List] But another alternative: I'd be willing to feed an extra body if they could take over the primary driving of our wagon. Might even throw in the first female goat born to one of my 4 does once we get there too. Any takers? Cuz DH might be needed for a medical thang and ....my stamina [lets face it] will not be so good for driving all day. 3) Did I hear that Micheal [AmishHomesteader] knows blacksmithing? As in just horseshoes or making stuff from iron/metals???? If so, I propose we also get him an occupation Special Wagon for blacksmith stuff. That Mormon list included hunks of metal too. MtRider [ sheeeesh, I'm *trying* to get to my packing but.... I spent all day hand sewing repairs on a certain donkey's new coat! ]

Mother's back. Now this wagon train will get rolling..... And Cat's gonna get our 'edit' function button fixed so we can continue to pack........ Huh? Waddya mean I gotta unpack and start over.....I haven't even gotten past the animals & kitchen stuff. 'Course, that's my main area of concern. [MtR is signing up for the driving course with SIX oxen, not just four. Too much stuff! ] Well, ok...considering that the pioneers got to sell off their civilized stuff in order to get more appropriate primitive stuff, I guess we'll follow that too. I guess I'll be leaving Great-Aunt P's dresser behind. But I've got this idea that we need some specialized wagons. Gulfcoastthruth mentioned the WATER WAGON. I think the "financing backers" can manage a few more Special wagons. Like the Medical Wagon, Water wagon [cuz I know carrying enough water on each wagon used up a lot of their weight allotment too. I'd like to propose [since we are needing to establish our community from scratch] a Library/School wagon. {BOOKS!} We may have to call for volunteers to drive these extra wagons. Any other special wagons that the community wants to propose? For professions/needs we'll have once we get there? Gulfcoast....about the axel grease. While trying to get my windmill to SHUT UP this weekend [my dad suggested WD40 and it worked..no more annoying SKREEK,SKREEK] I was actually thinking about our wagon wheels. I have an extra metal rim and center for a wagon wheel. The wood parts have just about rotted away tho. {not looking as 'decorative' as it did 10 yrs ago} I always kind wondered if it would come in handy. Might sell some stuff an get extra mules/donkeys and pack saddles....cuz MtRider wants to take along too much stuff! Seriously, IRL that WOULD be the hardest part for any Bug-Out, Evacuation, or Relocation for me during Crisis/Hard Times. Too much stuff. Weak point showing thru this mental exercise. MtRider [back to sorting and packing..... ]

.........um....mebbe it's a mod function? On previous formats MrsS has used, we've always been able to go back even 6 months later and edit one's own posts. As mod I can edit anyone's in RURR, of course. Let me know....can you edit within a certain time limit and could we change what that limit is??? MtRider hollering for Mother to return or ....Cat? Got a question for someone....

WOW, gulfcoast! I'd like to listen to your stories for hours. I've always wanted to take even a short wagon trip [...lol, can you tell from this scenario?] but never got an opportunity. I think my old muscles are gonna ACHE even in this 'virtual' wagon trip. [that's why I'm here typing on a sunny Saturday...I'm SO sore and tired-stooopid! ] Anyway, step right up and post some reality checks for us, since you had a long term experience. [MtR is none too sure of all the STUFF she *thinks* her oxen are gonna pull in her wagon... ] Arby, about taking just stuff we have..... Hmm. One thing we might just do is holler out if we know we are short on something. See if others have it. An exercise in "community". Like those anatomy/physiology books you mentioned. MrMtRider has that covered. Mebbe the community will provide a driver for certain occupations and the stuff [books, equipment, etc] it needs. Like having a medical wagon? [...sure glad we can dream a bit in our UNreality scenarios... ] *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+**+*+* TAKE NOTE: I'm not gonna tell ANYone that they have to absolutely tell the truth/whole truth/nuthin'-but-the-truth on what they do and don't have for preps. Let's just kinda assume that safety feature from the beginning. We're just practicing and we KNOW what we're short or plentiful in. We can conjecture a bit on our short areas. Reveal only what you are comfortable with. 'K? *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+**+**+ Also Arby, some great thots on the walking [as opposed to the bone-jarring ride], foot care, etc. Let's put your wine making supplies in the medical wagon. [Medicinal use, right? lol ] And I never thot of 5 gal buckets cracking...but if tossed hard enough, yeah. Padding my rice and wheat! Ack, can't get that pesky little covered wagon pic to hop onto my post. MtRider [working on my list..... ]

Note: my initial post edited to add more links, quotes of data, and a really cool picture of a Conestoga wagon. You can see from that one why they called them 'boats'. Anarchy....did I forget to mention that our route will NOT take us into any {gasp} snake country? Yeeeee-iiiick! :frying pan: <------for snakes! Speaking of which, PCS, you'd better get yourself well enough to join us too! More expertise needed! MtRider [...what else would I need for the rest of my life?? ]

Ok, I think I have a chance to get this started. I'll add to it later. We've still got time....we can't leave on our trip until Mother gets back anyway. But she'll know exactly what she wants to pack...having done all those reenactment deals. Participants: MtRider & MrMtR Skills: chiro/health care/herbal/acupuncture/First Aid knowledge of horses, goats, ducks, dogs, cats....including some vet care. gardening experience minor canning experience campfire cooking experience some wildcrafting experience lead women's Bible study..& dh knows Greek some hunting/fishing some constructing of shelter/building Animals: I'll chose an OXEN team for our wagon. Sturdy, strong, steady.....(are they as dumb as they seem?) 1 horse, 1 donkey, ------and equine tack, brushes/hoof picks, blankets, water buckets, packs & saddlebags a dozen ducks in a cage strapped to the side of the wagon ------water dishes, buckets of feed for layers, egg cleaning "buff" glove, waterglass bucket to preserve without refrigeration, 4 Nigerian dwarf milk goats-does [need to breed them before we leave...or Steph, is your buck a dwarf/mini??] ------5 gal bucket with birthing supplies, picnic basket with normal milking equipment, minerals, some grain/alfalfa for milkers, hoof trimmers, guardian BIG DOG -------Dog's BOB, harness, collar, lead rope, chews, bed cover (can be stuffed with dried grass for her to sleep on), cat has to come for rodent control when we get there -------Cat's BOB and carrier, food, dishes, string toy,......and earplugs cuz she'll be howling her unhappiness the whole way. Kitchen: --Lots of cast iron...but I don't have any larger fire pit dutch ovens for the communal kitchen. Fry pans to share tho. --Family [manual] grain grinder...with 4 attatchments: grinder, veggie slicer/dicer, meat grinder, grain cereal flaker. --Sherman [the tank] canner....all implements, and a tote full of salt, pickle spice, canning lids, etc. And all canning jars padded with all my towels and sox stuffed inside. --Stock pots - I'd select the SS ones if I had no room for the enamel ones [they chip/rust]. --Two wooden box set of kitchen storage. Like the back end of a chuckwagon. Custom made for me loooong ago. Stuffed with the basics of flatwear, utensils, camping pot set, spices, etc. --bakeware: bread pans, muffin pans, etc --mebbe the long, fold-up table? --Hmmm....thinking of the weight... can I afford to bring the coal/wood kitchen stove that resided in my garage? I think it would be EVER SO useful when we got there. [i can see that we won't have room to sleep in the wagon bed at this rate. --ALL of my kitchen knives. --I think I'll forgo the "china" that the ladies usually insisted on. Or even Correllware. I'll opt for my several pie plates, 1970's tupperware glasses [indistructable], and a couple of modern insulated hot beverage mugs. [bring Your Own Mug around the nightly campfires!] [i might try to sneak in a pair of authentic German steins for use when we're settled...and not as likely to break them.] More later.....

Ok Steph. If you can provide drivers, you've got a 3rd wagon. Yes, this helps us think of the things right in front of our noses in different ways. Like: the BBQ tools make good fireplace/campfire tools. The disability commode makes a good privy. I'm still working on my list..... MtRider [waves to Rusty and Emma.... ]

Thanks for the inspiration. MtRider [hoping for great things from yellow squash/zuke this year.....mebbe.....]

Glad I stopped by to see this. I've heard of this thru the decades but have never tried it. With our ...um..."stiff" soil, this might be a better solution for me. Garbage bags....DH just got two boxes and the durned things are way smaller than for the intended use. Mebbe I can grow taters? Heaven knows I have WAAAYYY more seed potato than I can ever dig up the dirt for. And I'm LATE this year. Aaaiiieee! MtRider [...off to read all the links and see if I can do this]

Ugh! I hate snakes. Don't like spiders either. Yuk! Almost don't even read a thread with this kind of title....LOL I'm no expert...having positioned myself so far up in the mts. that we don't have snakes....except that one I stepped on last year. [did ya all here my yell? ] BUT would making the ground around the woodpile really sharp gravel help? Or mebbe something like oyster shell we use for calcium for poultry? Is that sharp enough that they won't slither across? Just guessing here. But I don't think the tarp is a good idea. MtRider [ yiiiieeeee.....sitting here typing with my toes curled up....yuk! ]

How? Haven't got the book. Might try the library too. MtRider

Oh WOW, Darlene's mamma! A big welcome to you. Now some folks here are ......a bit..... Some might be ..... Some are And most of us do a lot of This is some place that Darlene and the early ladies constructed. Hope you enjoy yourself! MtRider [...staying up WAY past my bedtime again... ]

Thanks Rita. Checking that now. For you all that use alfalfa heavily during milking.... [yes, I keep hearing that everywhere... alfalfa for sweet milk ] Do you use only alfalfa hay free choice? An alfalfa/grass blend of hay free choice? Alfalfa pellets? Alfalfa cubes? Alfalfa growing in the pastures? Any preferences and why? Knowing how horses need to be regulated in their alfalfa consumptions.....does that apply to goat-critters too? Haven't bought alfalfa hay since my OLD dear horse got so it didn't agree with his system. MtRider [QuestionsQuestionsQuestions....I do thank you all!!!]

Quote: If you start out drinking milk from scrub eating goats how would you know that there is any other flavor? Good point! And I still have to convince dh that goat milk is good stuff... So far, when they are out grazing for their daily half hour, they are nipping off young wild rose plants, some dandelion, plain grass, clover, a bit of alfalfa that volunteers from horse droppings, ...... But then, I'm not milking yet. LOL Does anyone know if goats get the same "ice cream and pickles" cravings when they are preggers? MtRider