A couple of posts back, jogging for general fitness was the topic. That general fitness translates over to survival/prepper abilities as well. But I also touched on a few physical issues that can come from jogging, especially when you’re starting out. One good alternative I’ve found to jogging is biking. Biking provides a great workout that really strengthens the legs. Biking isn’t perfect though.
Biking takes much of the downward impact off the ankles, knees, and back. The constant pedaling (especially uphill) can greatly strengthen your legs. The strengthened legs also help with the jogging. On a bike, you can carry more helpful items as well, bottles of water, a backpack, etc. Riding a bike is also much faster than jogging. You can cover much longer distances, with less effort.
A good seat for your bike is a must. Bike seats are small and often the stock seat that comes on the bike is not very comfortable. You’ve got much of your body weight resting on a rather small segment of your groin. The wrong seat can be very uncomfortable.
I would strongly encourage anyone getting into biking to spend the extra money to buy a quality bike. I’ve experienced my fair share of “big box store” bikes, that are not exactly cheap themselves, that barely last a year or two at most. I’ve bought a couple of quality bikes that are 4 and 5 times the price, but last much, much longer. They also tend to need less maintenance and have a more comfortable ride.
I’ll be honest, I have not ridden my bike in quite some time. This is largely because in my area, there are no designated bikes lanes or trails. Driving around my area on paved roads can be very dangerous. Drivers don’t pay attention to where they are going and really don’t seem to care for anyone else’s safety. I’ve been looking into places to take my bike to be able to ride it more and there are not many options. The few places I have found are not bad, but they require a little bit of a drive to get there. Not a big deal, just need to do it. But, before I can drive to those places, I need to get a bike rack that mounts to the rear bumper of my truck. I used to transport my bike in the bed of the truck. I’ve learned that laying a bike down in the bed of the truck not only bounces the bike around, potentially damaging and bending pieces, but also damages the paint and other aesthetics. I mean, I still want my bike to look good, right? Anyway, I plan on biking being a regular part of my fitness regimen. I know the legs are going to be mighty sore for a little while, but it’s worth it to get back into riding. I’ll post again after I’ve put a few miles on the pedals.
When applied to a survival situation, a bike can be a game changer. If motor-vehicles are knocked out by the ever-feared EMP, it would be nice to have a bike. Could you imagine having to walk everywhere you go? That would be exhausting in a scenario that is already going to be very taxing on your body, mind, emotions, etc. As stated before, a bike will allow you to cover much more ground, faster and more easily. In addition, you can carry much more weight on the bike with much less hassle/energy expenditure. And, if you’re going down-hill, you’re covering lots of ground at virtually no physical effort. Bikes are also quite maneuverable. Weaving around stalled vehicles/barricades is not too difficult.
There are a couple of items that I suggest having on your bike. A spare innertube and a small hand-powered air pump to inflate said innertube. My air pump mounts to the frame in one of the spots designated for a drink bottle (convenient). The spare innertube is rolled up in a pouch made to mount to the underside of the seat. Very little weight is added to the bike, and I can fix a flat tire if I’m in a pinch.
You can also find the little wagons/trailers that can be towed behind a bike. Of course, this will slow down your ride, but you can carry lots more gear with you. Could you imagine having a full camping loadout packed into a cart that just pulls behind you? I don’t have one of these little carts because I don’t have a bike for every member of my family. If I can’t go with everyone, I don’t see myself going far on my own. I may end up getting one in the future, though. I would think that the trailer would require fairly smooth terrain. Pulling a cart like these over rough terrain seems to be unlikely. Things would have to get way beyond bad before I see myself striking out on a bike with a trailer. However, we don’t prepare for the best-case scenario.
In any case, consider adding a bike to your “tool chest”.
Don’t just prepare, prepare to thrive.
