The American Redoubt -- Move to the Mountain States

[AtomsInMotion]

- but we might be able to grow stuff in an underutilized room at his place.

Sounds like your green thumb is craving a greener, wetter environment. Until then, give that underutilized room a shot- it can't hurt. Good luck!

[300dragonflies]

How about mostly flat terrain, and very loose, sandy/silty soil, requiring expensive trench boxing to dig a basement?

When they build a home here in the high desert, first they lay out the outside dimensions. Then they trench for the pipes (flexible plastic, mostly, for water, and more conventional for waste) and lay those in, along with trenching for the footing along the outside wall. They put up a wood form on the outside of that wall, but not the inside. Then, with the ends of the pipes sticking up, they pour the whole footing, foundation, and porch at once.

It is much faster and cheaper than the methods they'd have to use for construction of a traditional basement!

That said - I agree with you about the benefits of a basement. The only homes I've lived in with basements, though, were in Alabama (build early 60s, daylight basement), Connecticut (probably built in the 40s, a cellar-door-access basement), and in Seattle (built 1895-1898, daylight basement). The rest of the homes I've lived in, in Washington, Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama, California, Montana, and here in New Mexico, were either slab-built or built over a crawl space.

(I think most mobile home installations are done over a crawl space rather than on a slab.)

[Paul Bonneau]

Truth be told, none of the Rockies are great for growing anything but trees. Irrigation is big in Wyoming, but that water ain't cheap, and not accessible to most people anyway. The places I've lived in Wyoming ran about 14 inches per year of precipitation, and a lot of that fell in solid form and blew away to Kansas after it fell. 

Greenhouses are a very good idea in this region, and the water can be recycled (e.g. hyproponics). Also keeps the critters off your vegetables.

[300dragonflies]

14 inches a year is double what we get here, in a normal year. This is the third drought year in a row, so it's not "normal" by any means. I'd guess we might be around an inch so far this year, here. Two at the most. Normal would be 4 or 5 inches by this point in the year.

Though it's too hot here in the summer for a greenhouse - maybe we could grow food in one in the winter in a greenhouse, though. Have to think on that. January would be too cold but the rest of it might not be. Summer highs can be over 100 in May and June...and in the upper 90s in July and August, when it tends to cloud up a bit in the afternoon. Even September has highs in the low 90s.

Water is the issue, though. All of it, here, comes from a tap. In most rural places, it comes from a well - and you don't want to pump your well dry, just trying to grow some food!

Time to put on my thinking cap about how to grow food at or in a minimally-heated-in-the-winter, no-A/C-in-the-summer suburban home...and maybe install a wood stove in one room, with the exhaust pipe installed in the fireplace chimney, as a backup heating/cooking source.

Sheltering in place might be possible, if water from the tap doesn't go away.

[BrianMyers]

My 2 cents. (If it comes down to us against the US military we will lose, but)

I moved here for three reasons.

I subscribe to Gerald Celente and have for a very long time. Got out of many jams early 'cause I took action from his alerts.

1. In several of his newsletters 4 years or so ago he predicted the balkanization of America and that the surviving remnant of true Constitutional era America would be 3-5 states that being Wyoming at the heart with (in order of likelihood) Montana, North Dakota, Idaho, South Dakota, Utah and Nebraska.

2. There is a Christ based calling to the area in the Big Horn I have found myself. As I have lived here now for almost 4 years many of my neighbors also confirm this. I did not bring it up, but that is how I finally got here.

3. America is under judgment and the coasts are particularly worse as that is were the concentration of rebellion, idolatry, carnolatry, materialism, homosexuality, socialism and just about everything else you can imagine that rebels against and angers our Lord Almighty.

Have you read the book "The Harbinger" or are aware of the parallels America is on with Israel 2500 years ago? See Isaiah 9:10

This whole crap fest with the coming NWO, Soros, Obamanations, Fascism in the police state of America, etc. is not just a coincidence.

I am in a serious state of repentance, prayer and preparation as this is the mother of all spiritual wars coming at us like a freight train.

Wyoming is the best place to draw the line and fight for God's promise and protection for our liberty.

Just my opinion men and women. But I have seen the Glory of the coming of our Lord!

Thomas

P.S. If you want the book (and can not afford it) I will buy one and ship it to you as my gift. Just PM me your desire and address.

http://www.theharbinger-jonathancahn.com/Book/

Thank you for the inspirational quote, Thomas. 

Everything I've been reading is so thought provoking and inspirational that I struggle to put my feelings into words! 

My new journey started with a deep desire to leave Wisconsin because of the Socialist/Progressive movement, Union mentality, and corruption.  It seems like so many people in WI are complicit or complacent.  I've been a truck driver for 20 plus years, which has allowed me to see much of the country, so thought I knew what I liked and didn't like.  I had a desire to be in N.W. Texas because of the culture.  My daughter (13) loves winter sports and couldn't stand the thought of being away from snow, so she brought up Utah.  My wife is an outstanding Christian woman; she would follow me to the end of the earth and my son is to young (9) to really care much one way or another, just as long as we are all together, he's happy.

In an effort to keeping this short, we decided on North Phoenix, Arizona because it was dry and less than three hours away from snow.  I must say that I have become rather disappointed in the culture here.  People don't talk to one another much, and God is not at the center of their lives, which was one of my issues I had with Wisconsin.  It's not that we don't like it here, but after 6 months, I can see that it's just not what we want and/or expected.  The problem is that we don't fit in well.  I can also see the Californification here in AZ too    My wife and I are too Libertarian and I'm not much for the GOP, and the Democratic Party is nothing more than Communist to me.  I've also noticed that God isn't the center of people's lives like I had hoped it would be here in AZ, which was one of my problems with Wisconsin (for the record, I have friends that are pro-liberty Atheists).

A Liberty minded Libertarian friend of mine from New York mentioned BOSTON'S book, "Molon Labe".  He told me that I would love the book and his energy made me order it that day.  I've had the book for three days now and I am half way through!  It's difficult to put down, and I am not much of a reader.  The book spoke of the FSP, which I knew about, but there was no way I was moving to the East Coast!  What I didn't know about was the Wyoming FSP.  I am so very disappointed that I didn't know because I'm 90% sure we would be in Wyoming right now had I known.  I searched the world over for a freer State and I only considered four because of their gun laws; Alaska (expensive & too far away), Texas (humidity), Arizona (very hot), Utah (LDS). I figured the most Libertarian/Conservative would have the least restrictive gun laws...I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but we could have done worse!

If things don't improve in the coming months, we may pull up roots again and by next Fall, be in Wyoming.  I would rather live dirt poor and FREE than have all of the things nice things I have and live under the tyranny of Socialism.  I forgot to mention just how much I love firearms...I know what keeps American free!

P.S  Please pray that God shows us His path, and may it lead to WY.

Blessings,

Brian Myers

[300dragonflies]

I'm worried about the country. I'm worried that the pressures I'm under here...job, house, vehicle, financial issues...will keep me from moving somewhere that is more free. I'm worried that I might not find the person I need by my side in order to make it through the rough times that are coming.

[manfromnevada]

Brian,
Nice to hear from you and your journey.
Perhaps you have not reached your final destination. Who know what final really is? Except for the grave of course!
I'm very happy here. It's not perfect, never will be, but close enough to what I want. Crook County is pretty high on the freedom index as far as I'm concerned.

Keep looking around the forum and posting.
Glad to hear you're "here".

Mac

[BrianMyers]

Mac,

Thank you for the acknowledgement and the welcome.   
I read in one of the postings that land is very expensive, and housing is hard to come by because of the oil boom(?).  I also remember something about working on a ranch and having the ability to park an RV their while working.  I would very much like to speak with someone who can give me more details about working on a ranch.

I'm not so sure that I'm staying on topic here...


Regards,
Brian

[Old Ironsights]

Well... everything is relative.

Is WY Land expensive?  Compared to where?

Is housing expensive?  Are you putting a Double Wide on a piece of $100/acre (-water) land, or are you buying a condo in Jackson?

Regardless, in the end, you will Win by living here... unless you bring "there" with you when you come HERE.

[manfromnevada]

Brian,
Just came across this thread today. Didn't mean to ignore you!
Oil boom? There's an oil boom in ND, not here. When I came here 6 years ago there was a big CBM boom and coal boom in Campbell County (Gillette). Workers were staying in hotel rooms! The boom is over. Natural gas prices have plummeted. And Obama and his associates continue to harass the coal miners and users.

If you read the many postings that Kelly has taken the effort to put here, you'll see a wide range of properties and housing.

I don't know anything about ranches. Sorry.

Mac

[Boston]

Hi Brian,

You did fine for your first relocation, as Arizona is a very good state
with a strong gun culture.  But, as you're figuring out, Wyoming has
more to offer you.  Come out for a look, and stay in touch so that
we can meet you both.

 
Boston

[BrianMyers]

Boston & Mac,

Thanks for the info, advise, and most of all, the encouragement. 

Arizona isn't what it's cracked up to be.  I am a little disappointed to say the least.  I feel that there are too many GOP hacks here and the Patriot movement is a mess because of the enormous egos and back biting. 

I do love the dry air, as humidity kicks my tail.  I could take or leave the snow, but the rest of my family misses snow quite a bit...Christmas w/o snow will be interesting because Thanksgiving w/o the cooler air and smell of burning leaves was a bit of a downer!  I also love the fact that I can carry any way I wish w/o being hassled as is not the case in Wisconsin.  Our move to AZ was a change for the better, but I am thus far reading that Wyoming could be a better fit for us!

Regards,
Brian

[warytraveler]

I'm heading this way myself.

Which makes all the more imperative for freedom supporters to head to your region.

[Novak]

Arizona isn't what it's cracked up to be.  I am a little disappointed to say the least.  I feel that there are too many GOP hacks here...

...I also love the fact that I can carry any way I wish w/o being hassled as is not the case in Wisconsin.  Our move to AZ was a change for the better, but I am thus far reading that Wyoming could be a better fit for us!

Regards,
Brian

Brian, if you're looking for a libertarian paradise, you're not going to find it in Wyoming.  Wyoming is full of party hacks, but I think that's true of anywhere.  No, Wyoming isn't great because it is a stronghold of those seeking to limit the size of government, it is great because it has some of the lowest taxes, least restrictive gun laws, and fewest "nanny state" laws in the country.  It has some of the most beautiful scenery and best hunting in the world.  I also believe that Wyoming has more of a culture of self-reliance than most other states, which I view as a good thing.

I would hate for someone to move to Wyoming because they thought that it was something it is not, but that doesn't mean that Wyoming isn't a wonderful place.  Of all of the places I've lived, Wyoming is at the top of my list.

[Dennis Wilson]

What is a GOP hack? I moved to Arizona in 1961 and I don't think I ever met one.

Perhaps it was because I wasn't looking for one.  Been too busy enjoying my freedom and the weather. 

Why ruin a perfectly good day looking for politicians?