I usually try to post about things I actually do but today I am writing about plans that are not yet firmed up, specifically transportation. I live in a very walkable place. I can use my feet to get to church, our community house, the hardware store, our little grocery/deli/sustainability library/food co-op, the compactor, out town’s safety complex, my daughter’s school and the post office. Just as important to me, I have several good friends who are well withing walking distance. Still, in a crisis, I would have to get around with more than my feet from time to time. If I wanted to do a big co-op pick-up Iwould certainly struggle trying to walk and carry a 50 pound sack of wheat. So what are my options if gas is suddenly $12.00 a gallon or I just can’t drive for some reason?
First, I must mention our vehicles. We own a pick-up truck and a mini-van. Both are paid for and in good shape. If we have to go down to one vehicle, it would be the truck that stayed. It is a standard shift, 4 wheel drive model. It can seat 4 but it is not comfortable for my daughter (she is as tall as I am and weighs the same). We are thinking about getting a different truck that would have a bigger cab and permit us to move down to just one vehicle. The criteria would be second hand, standard shift, low mileage and a brand with a good track record for longevity.
We all have bicycles but we need to make some changes. I have a terrific Schwinn that I got for my birthday a couple of years ago. It looks great but was a terrible choice for where we live. It is heavy, has a single speed, back pedal brakes and will kill you on a hill. It was a nostalgic buy for me. I am thinking of selling it to someone who lives on flat land and buying an electric assist bike with some good panniers. Our town is really hilly and the electric assist would really expand the distance I could comfortably bike. Bruce has a road bike. It is too light for him but just right for my daughter. I think we will replace her outgrown bike with Bruce’s and get him a sturdier road bike. Phoebe has a good bike too and rides a lot.
Never underestimate the value of a good wagon. We have a very sturdy metal wagon. If I had a a big co-op order, I could easily pull the wagon to the store and carry quite a lot home. We have even made pick-ups from the hardware store with it. It carries a couple of kids, school projects and big bunches of produce from the garden to the house. We also have a garden cart that can carry even larger loads.
We live in the snowy Northeast so we each have snowshoes and cross country skis. We really need to replace everybody’s skis this year. They are really old and I want to update to better quality while we still can. Our poor old boots are split and worn and show how much use they get. Phoebe may well get skis for her upcoming birthday. We don’t have good snowshoes for the Karen and that might be added to a Christmas list, especially if I can get a decent pair on Craig’s list. I often get my kids second-hand gifts for Christmas and have never gotten a complaint.
I am shocked at just how much driving I still do. I am trying to get to one town trip each week but it seems that something always comes up that requires an extra trip. The driving is a luxury that we can not afford either environmentally or economically. Perhaps the best transportation investment one can make is in a car pool group. We love living out in the country but organizing a car pool has been a challenge. We tried to organize a ride share several years ago but it was extraordinarily unsuccessful. I think we are so used to being independent and having that car available. Of all the changes peak oil will bring, that easy access to a car with a full tank of gas is going to be the hardest on us. We would rather be cold that without transportation.
Once we make the changes in modes of transport, there are some things we will need to stock. A bike repair kit is a necessity as are spare tires. Oil for chains and spare parts would be a good idea. If a young person is looking a for a career possibility, bike repair might be a good option. The days of buying those cheap bikes from Wally World and planning to replace one every year are over, at least around here. I expect to buy one good bike and keep it until I die. I hope others will as well. A repair (man, person, oh help me be politically correct here)will be able to make a decent living. I suppose I should be looking for bikes and skis in larger sizes for Phoebe as she is the only one still growing and no, I do not need the jokes about my waistline from any of my friends.
I just want to close with a word about my weekend. I went apple picking with a friend on Saturday. If this calls up images of a beautiful orchard with perfect fruit in those neat little paper bags, forget about it. We went gleaning apples from roadside trees and an abandoned orchard. The fruit is smaller and scabby not at all abundant this year as the cold, wet spring played hell on the blossoms. We asked permission fo the gentleman who owned the land the orchard was on if he minded if we harvested the fruit. He must have gotten quite a chuckle over these two ladies who will not see 50 again, climbing over an electric fence with a full bushel of apples between us, trying to outrun a herd of cows that wanted their fair share of fruit. We were slipping in cow flops and laughing so hard we could hardly breath. It was a wonderful day. I came home to a warm kitchen that smelled wonderful. I had put a pan of root veges on to roast before I left and the aroma of onions and garlic hit me befor I opened the door. There was loaf of good bread on the counter. My girls were doing schoolwork at the table and Bruce was printing out pictures to contribute to our 350.org project. I suppose if you were to count the hours I spent getting the apples picked, washed, chopped, steamed, strained and canned I made about $.50 cents an hour for my labor but I could have spent $100.00 0n an afternoon at an amusement park and not had as much fun. All things are relative.
September 28, 2009 at 9:02 am
Good for you! I have always believed there is nothing like girlfriends’ fun and laughter. One can’t overestimate the value of laughter in any situation. I feel sorry for men–they don’t seem to have the same qualities in their relationships. Perhaps that is why our politicians who are mostly male never seem to have a sense of humor?
September 28, 2009 at 9:04 am
Many of these things have also been on my mind lately.
We are not in such a walkable location as you. If push came to shove, we could walk to the post office or library, though the trips would take up half a day apiece. Walking to do any shopping would take up a full day, and in our very hilly area I don’t at all relish the thought of the homeward half fully laden with a month’s supply of staples. Our area needs some relocalization, but there’s no sign yet of that happening.
Skis and snowshoes would get much less use for us here as we just don’t get as much snow as you do. But some yaktrax might be a good investment.
September 28, 2009 at 9:23 am
transport is a BIG question for us too. I manage to keep (pretty much) to the once a week road trip, but husband goes to work each day and daughter has to go to school (RN in town). It’s a waste, but at least when hubby is out of town for work, it makes a difference.
I haven’t been lucky enough to find wild trees, but I plan to head to local pick your own places and get something good. at least I’ll be buying local.
September 28, 2009 at 10:15 am
I forgot to mention the Yaktrax. I fell and broke my hip and shattered my elbow a few years ago and never venture out in the ice without those these days. I think you are right about the quality of female relationships. It is so different from male relationships. I LOVE my women friends.
September 28, 2009 at 10:47 am
Transportation for us is major. We are 9 miles (one way) from the nearest town and our son is 13 miles one way from school. And neither of these towns have anything in the way of being able to do major shopping. They each have a small grocery store (think convenience store prices). We have to go about an hour for any major shopping. Luckily we are now currently raising most of our own foods. We have thought about transportation issues though. We currently have 3 horses, that all have saddle bags, rifle holders, etc. it’s also on the list to make a little 2-wheel horse-drawn cart. We’ve also been slowing picking up horse-drawn farm equipment. In our area, most people think we are a “tad off of center”. We really do not have anyone in our area who feels like we do and are taking action on it.
September 28, 2009 at 6:55 pm
We haven’t had a car for over a year now. Our neighbourhood is very walkable (score of 85 on the walkscore website!) so you can get most of what you need within a 30 minute walk (including doctor, hairdresser, hardware store, fast food, grocery stores, schools etc). Where we have issues is with heavy stuff like sacks of manure, chicken wheat etc, so when we get our hands on a car maybe once or twice a year we stock up. I also have a grain supplier who delivers. The advantage with having to carry everything is that you spend less on groceries, when you need to look at every item and think twice about whether you want to carry it home.
Getting the cat to the vet is a problem though, maybe I shouldn’t have adopted such a monstrously large tomcat
I pay extra for the house vet to come around and see to him.
What I’ve found is that without a car your world shrinks somewhat……..for most of the year we don’t go more than 5 miles from our house. While there is a good bus service here, and a cheap and reliable intercity bus service, you don’t tend to go places so much when you start differentiating between a need and a whim. There is a big difference between just jumping in the car to go somewhere because you don’t feel like making lunch at home in the weekend, and instead having to think about the couple of buses you’d have to take, or the 20 minute walk to the restaurant. That’s where it starts becoming more convenient to make sure you’ve got the choices of meal in your pantry or freezer to make that quick lunch rather than go somewhere else.
September 29, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Repair Technician!
I envy you, Kathy, I really do.
You do good work.
madison
September 29, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Repair Technician!
My community is walkable, there’s just no where to walk TO, lol. This small rural community used to be a town, but it’s now a bedroom community for the 30k town 8 miles from here. We do have a one room library and both a grade school and a Jr/Sr High school combo, but that’s it. Three small markets, one old and kinda historic, one Hispanic and one 7-11 type selling soda/booze/candy. No grocery stores, no gas stations, no second hand stores. One volunteer fire station. Not much of a destination, lol. Oh, and one nice new park with new equipment for the kids. To get anything, I have to drive into town, inlcuding for the unemployment office. Grrr. Good thing it’s truly beautiful here in Oregon!
September 29, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Oh Madison. I do wish you lived closer. It sounds like you have so much on your plate yet you are always upbeat and postive. I envy you your attitude!
September 29, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Your self sufficiency for transportation within town is excellent, Kathy. SO many Americans are dependent on their vehicles to get from A to B and that worries me in the event of a huge hike in gas prices or solar flare / EMP attack. http://tinyurl.com/l5rysw Having a wagon is excellent in an emergency. Great foresight.
September 29, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I just wish we had better medical care withing walking distance. the distance to the nearest hospital is the reason I suggest that everyone who can get as much first aid training as possible. you never know when it will be you who has to take care of that burn or break. I mentioned on another post how much I like you site. My son is at BYU and his wife is just starting her preparedness program. I gave her the link and hope she makes good use of what you have to offer.