I get less stares running around with my usual gear stowed in a pack. Apparently it is in-fact a visual anomaly based around the ash on my clothing... I may need to run some further tests
Oh right back in the CR, the caravan that I helped escort last week was the last big one for the summer especially with the snow starting to fall across the passes and no one wanting to invest too much work into getting a fleet of snowplows running again, at least right now anyway. Might do it when/if we're a unified country again but there's just too many differing opinions and fractured loyalties floating around right now, and too many people with those drastically differing opinions and loyalties that are employing small armies, however there are some signs of unity regardless.
For example: the California Republic and the Salt Lake Confederation, somewhat opposed ideologies: the CR having become extremely libertarian after the first election that was had, mostly due to shell-shocked folks just looking for some kind of flag to rally around and the idea of "spreading the wealth around" didn't hold to well with them. However some things never change and San Francisco is one victory parade shy of being Communist totalitarian, but that's a whole other story. Meanwhile the SLC's governance structure has faith intertwined into the highest levels, I'm not saying that's a bad thing, it's just you wouldn't expect the CR whose leadership professes "No gods, no kings, only man" to be trading partners with a confederation whose ideals and politics are intertwined with that of the Mormon Church.
Now some of you reading this may be wondering, "but where is the military in all this? Why haven't they stepped in and acted as a nationwide unifier/police force? Why are mercenaries like you protecting caravans?"
Well it's simple, the remnants have described that as not in their job description as they are mainly for defending us from foreign threats, that and the bulk of the military was in the field and got hit by tactical nuclear weapons. So most of the ones that are still around that didn't retire and or desert are stationed along the Ravenwood/Alameda DMZ and various other Chinese military footholds still in the U.S.
Anyway, headed over to my hometown to check on things there and see how everyone is before considering what to do next. Might bother a couple of friends that are around on the east side and run some tests with my ashlands kit to see what's what with the anomalous properties.
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Snow, I hate snow.... well not so much hate... dislike being cold and wet is a better choice of words I guess... my own damn fault for heading north to Canada without much cold/wet weather gear, then again I didn't plan on spending a month or so up there's that.
Anyway, found a snowmobile store out here in between towns, IDA (trying to convince it that Pandora would be a better name, though my arguments on the symbolism of pandora's box and the potential chaos that the idea of autonomous artificial intelligence could bring to human society has so far fallen to deaf audio sensors) and I were able to get it running after monkeying around with it and stuffing the engine off a portable diesel generator into it in place of the gas engine making it a bit more versatile in the fuels department... and easier to deal with since it's just compression at that point and no spark, and no electronic ignition needed. Hell pulling the computer, engine, and other unnecessary components (block heater and battery is necessary) made the damn thing lighter and easier to drive even after stuffing a diesel engine into it, weird, but it happened. Anyway this is making getting back south towards....hmmm.. not sure if I should go near the SLC just yet... a robot hellhound could get me burned at the stake, Ashlands stalker or not...Oregon perhaps?
Eh this is just musings though. dunno where to go just yet.
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