Transportation After TSHTF?

I have a pair of donkeys, but would have to build a cart/wagon for them to pull.

I hadn't thought of boating to town. There's a river a couple miles away that goes right into town. A large flat bottom boat with 4 people could make the trip fairly easily.

Some of the old timers around here told me that years ago (during the depression?), a man used to take a wagon to town every sat AM. He charged a nickle per rider. He didn't allow any large, bulky, heavy purchases that would tire out the team on the way home.

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What about a solar powered cycle, using the solar panel as a type of roof. Would work.

Wylie Kyote

I think you would be better off having two sets of batteries and charging a set at home. A solar panel roof would have a bit of wind resistance and add more weight.

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http://www.xanga.com/shackman A blog about whatever

Yup a panel big enough to power it directly would be way too big. And using charged batteries you could even use it on non sunny days.

Personally I'd rather just back down to horse and buggy tech. Or even a dog powered cart.

I wonder how a 40 goose power cart would work?

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I believe in God's willingness to heal.

Cyngbaeld's Keep Heritage Farm, breeding a variety of historical birds and LaMancha goats. (It is pronounced King Bold.)

they'd work better w/ a boat!

I live very close to the Ohio river. There are water ways not far from me that can take you to the southern interior of the state ( the Shawnee used to get as far as Chillicothe-Ross Co.). It was the transportation corridor until trails were blazed or if animal and native trails were widened. BUT it's been dammed up so it runs deeper and faster now, so that one has to go thru locks and dams along the way. Wonder if you still would have to and/or would they still work? Plus, if it came to really desperate times a woman in a boat might be over taken by thugs. Guess the safety would be similar to a person on a bike on a rural highway...but at least one could run away or walk to safety. The river banks here are not cleared along the river.

Hmmmmm. May it never ever come to that...

For what it's worth... training goat wethers ( neutered males) is extremely easy IF the goat is imprinted or bonded to humans ( ie: bottle raised and handled daily). Otherwise they act wild and have no respect for humans with the exception that an animal that may come to trust with patience and a gentle hand. The diary breed wethers are considered pretty useless and can be purchased for under $100.00 ea. Bought from a quality breeder these animals can be very intelligent (usually- not so much with Boers and some Nubians= sweet yep- smart and willing workers =dicey???) and catch on to ideas quickly and like to work- looking to you as the herd leader so they do not run away-they stick close. Check into packgoating...it's great and the animals are tough and a conditioned animal can carry up to 1/3 of it's weight...and an average dairybreed wether runs around 150-250 lbs. A saanan-alpine-boer mix is a great combo for climbing and can run up to 300lb. They will happily eat kudzu, honeysuckle, multiflora roses, scrub trees, understory junk all summer long. Just give plenty of love and fresh water and you have a companion pal for 13+ yrs.

I am editing to acknowledge that this post did not follow the topic of bikes, I can start a new topic rather than hijack further, I apologize to the OP.
-scrt crk

Where are the dams?
I use to be from that area and have paddled (I thought) most of the scioto, south of Columbus and have yet to run into a dam.
I keep thinking I will get back there and make a multiple day trip of it from Columbus (Big Darby close to Hilliard) on down. (And Yes the Big Darby had dams, but you can portage around them.)

BTW, As far as paddling up stream, I think it would be possible in some areas. I think I would rather carry my stuff and canoe in other areas. If I was in an old canoe (think small boat with multiple (4+) paddlers then maybe going up stream would be more doable.

I was ref'ing to the mighty Ohio ) There are two dams alone just in my county.

A lot of dairy goat breeders will give you the bucklings for free if you pick them up immediately after they are born. You can raise them to pack or pull or whatever you like.

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I believe in God's willingness to heal.

Cyngbaeld's Keep Heritage Farm, breeding a variety of historical birds and LaMancha goats. (It is pronounced King Bold.)

Exactly. Raising a wether is a nice asset to that slower life you keep promising yourselves ) My 250 lb saanen wether stands 36 inches at his wither and thinks he needs to protect me from cars, dogs ( our own??), strangers. He steps in front of me and tries to look formidable, LOL. He also plops down next to me in the grass and will lay his big ol head in my lap. He LOVES to go for rides in the beater F150. I've cut 7 ft saplings down to work on a travois with him.

-scrt crk

Bought a quasi-mountain bike, which was the nearest thing I could find to the old gas-pipe special I had as a kid (it was tough). This one has gears, which I like, and I get along with deraillieurs and bike maintenance. Presently have a bike trailer under construction in my shop. It will carry a large plastic tote and about 100 lb. load.

I can't see much reason to need to ravel a long way under SHTF conditions. The bike will get me around my rural neighborhood to the dairy farm and to see friends and neighbors. Daughter and her hubby are more remote and plans to share a pair of horses with their neighbors, for transport and farm work.

In your original post you mention EMPs which destroy almost anything electrical rendering it useless.

If you are extremely serious about being prepared you might want to consider something powered by a very small diesel engine since a diesel requires no electricity for ignition firing.

Halfway down this page tells some about diesels. http://www.earthtoolsbcs.com/html/tr...html#whydiesel Think small rope start models if you are concerned about EMPs. You would need to have fuel stored. A small two wheeled tractor pulling a trailer might be just the ticket to relocate with. Expect we have all seen photos of two wheeled tractors pulling enormous loads in third world countries.

A small diesel vehicle could also be push started via a hill or lots of friends.

As to a bicycle, you should buy one with many gears and use a gear matched to your ability. The old American Survival Guide did an article about using bicycles for bugging out. They suggested a scabbard affixed across the handle bars. Perhaps along the frame would work if it and the contents would not be in the way of pedaling.

The ideal might be to figure out a way to use additional wheels (outrigger style) and figure out a way to keep them on the rails of a rr track. Smooth sailing.

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My family---bEI

+1000 on the mountain bikes. Look at film from any developing country and you will always see bicycles. It does not eat and requires minimal maintenance.

That is my thoughts exactly on bicycles. Unless you need to haul heavy loads or are physically unable to ride, a bike will keep up with any horse. Most of the buggies I get stuck behind average about 5-10 mph which is about how fast I go on a long (20 mile plus) ride. The other advantage is you can really zoom down a hill on a bike, not so much with a horse. Not to mention if you've ever ridden in a buggy for any length of time you'll find out soon enough that horses (and other animals) aren't as emission free as you would think You don't need to feed a bike every day. In some ways having a small diesel powered vehicle would be much better than animal transportation. You could grow soy beans or some other oil producing crop and make your own fuel. It wouldn't be any different than growing hay for a horse and the plus side is motored transit doesn't run off on you nor do you have to take care of it every day.

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Mountain bikes are good. Stock up on tubes and tires, keep in basement away from the sun. Lots of reflectors are good too.

Look into those small 2 cycle motors with a drive wheel for your bike, they really help on the uphill portions of travel, especially if you are hauling a trailer loaded with supplies from the town market.

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We will meet in the golden city, called the New Jerusalem,
All our pain and all our tears will be no more.....