Earth First's "Death Manual"

Off-Road.com presents this material as an example of just how far radical Eco-Terrorist orginizations are willing to go to stop "off-roaders" from using our public lands. The "disclaimer" about "enemy motorcyclists invading America" fools no one. This pamphlet is in circulation among members of "Earth First", the EDF, and others. It was written under the psudonym "el Ranchero; a known alias of the Unabomber. It should be noted that The Unabomber has been irefutably tied in to Earth First by the FBI.

Off-Road.com, it's staff, or associates, bear no responsibility for anyone stupid enough to commit the Acts of Terrorism described below. If you do, it is of your own volition, not ours. We present it so that the world can be made aware of just how violent the radical Eco groups really are, compaired to the "friendly & non-violent" facade which they attempt to present publicly.

Material provided, with our thanks, by The Sahara Club.

HOW TO FIGHT MOTORCYCLES

This little book assumes that the United States has been invaded by Enemy Soldiers on motorcycles, and that we have to fight and harass them by guerrilla tactics. These dirty tricks are not .to be used against Civilan Riders because most would be illegal under those c1rcumstances. Besides, bikers are all nice puys who wouldn't think of trespassing on Private Property... Or knocking down fences or "Keep Out" signs... Gouging deep trails in a yard by 'gowing out' and accelerating fast... Roaring past a chicken yard just to scare the chickens... Deliberately running over cats, dogs, chickens, and/or other small domestic live stock for 'sport'... Answering protests with a "V for Victory" sign, (one finger at a time), as they speed away... Leaving beer cans and. other casual trash around a still smoldering camp fire in a high fire hazard area...

OF COURSE NOT, THEY ARE ALL FINE UPSTANDING CITIZENS !!!

GENERAL NOTES

These suggestions involve material that Is usually "throw away junk' that can be used in a booby trap and left alone to. do 1ts job at no expense to the Home Defender except a little physical exertion. So what if it has to stay hidden for a year or more before it gets a chance to do it's bit for America.. 1t is willing.. These ideas are by no means a complete list, they are just the tip of' the 1ceberg' and hopefully will suggest. other efficient uses of' any material that comes to hand. The best place to plant these little goodies is in a previous track, as bikers have a tendency to follow where they have gone before because they assume it is safe. Where a track passes between two trees or bushes that are close together makes a good location because it reduces the area choice'... ....just as in the middle of a dry lake would be the worst place because there is so much other area where the Enemy Soldier might drive...... .. unless of course there is a fence across it with a gate f'eaturing a "KEEP OUT" slgn THAT MAKES AN IRRESISTABLE ATTRACTION

1. SPIKE BOARD

A spike board is one of the simplest, and most effective, tricks to discourage motorcyclists. It consists of an old board, one or two 1nches thick, usually one or two feet 1ong, and from four to twelve inches wide with nails driven through from one side so the heads are flush. These nails must be long enough and heavy enough to hold up under the impact of a tire, otherwise they will bond instead of puncture. Nails in sizes known as #l2, #16 or #20 are ideal for this purpose because they are long enough that when.. the board is buried so that an inch of dirt can be spread on ft to hide it they still stick up far enough to go through a tire tread. If you are lucky, BOTH front and back tires Heavy plywood works we11 too, 3/4" thick or heavier. Filing the points of the nails makes for slightly more 'efficiency' but is not strictly needed.

2. THE 'H' TO "A' CAPER

Where a track passes between two bushes is a good location for this. It consists of two fairly straight sections of tree limb, or two pieces of 2"x 4"'s lunber about foor feet long. The limbs are best because they blend in better, but, especially 1f the bushes are thick, the 2" x 4"s will do the job. These limbs are placed one on each side of the track about four feet apart. The lower end is placed 1.oosely in a six inch deep hole to keep it in place, and the upper end is laid against the bush, pointing slightly uptrail. Between the two limbs is tied a piece of rope or heavy wire about a a foot from the top end. This forms the 'H'. When a moving bike hits this rope it pulls the ends of the limbs towards each other and jambs them against either the machine or the rider. This will do neither of them any good, especially if the bike is moving at any speed, and if the ends of the limbs have a tendency to be jagged. This forms the ~A~. This caper will work almost as well with just one limb, and the other end of the rope tied to something solid like a tree, or the base of a bush, or around a rock. It will shove the bike to one side instead of squeezing it.

3. NECKBREAKER PIT

A trick that probably dates back to Cave man days' but is still used because it is effective, is the camouflaged pit dug across a trail. A pit six feet deep with "punji" sticks in the bottom would work fine, but that's too much work. A hole about 18" deep, covered with are easily collapsible cover will, when run over by an Enemy Soldier on a motorcycle, flip sald cycle briskly, hopefully breaking something, preferably bones. Two feet long by a foot wide is about the minimum size needed for a motorcycle sized wheel to drop into. Just be sure to remove and scatter any excess dirt not needed to disguise the cover so the Soldier will not be alerted. A cover can be made of anything that will support a thin layer of d1rt and / or leaves, even a piece of cardboard, a sheet of tin, even an old rusty window screen if the screen is not too rusty. this can be supported by a few sticks laid across the hole, or even a small bush Jammed in the pit. Since the dirt is supposed to hide the trap try to blend it in with the surrounding area. If this is placed in a prev1ous track it's a good idea to brush the newly spread earth with a small branch, maybe try to draw a suggestion of 'tire tracks' on it with a twig...scatter a few leaves and twigs. Try to see how artistic a job of camouflage you can do.

4. TO BLOW A TIRE

A 12 gauge shotgun shell makes a handy' little device by which to blow a large hole in an enemy Soldiers front tire. Combined with a couple of pieces of ordinary water pipe, wrapped in a plastic bag such as used in markets to carry home vegetables and fruit, it will lie quietly waiting to do its job for a long time, year's even, ready willing... and deadly. As the illustration shows all that is needed to fire this crude shotgun is to hit down on the middle pipe so that the primer is impacted against the firing pin. This causes the shell to explode with the resulting damage to a motorcycle tire in the 'severe' range. Even if the thin sheet of plastic over the mouth of the device is torn away and dirt clogs the 'barrel' 1t is still effective, maybe more so because then it; wrill act like a 'land mine' in miniature. Take care 1n handling this device. Remember that if it 1s dropped and hits in an 'upright' position, that is with the firing pin section down, it will go off', In planting it in the ground be very careful not to hit the protruding pipe with a shovel...same deal, It will fire and we don't want any Home Defenders hurt, ...just the Enemy.
FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY DON'T LOAD THIS DE'VICE UNTIT YOU ARE READY TO PLANT IT,

5. MORE WAYS TO BLOW' A TIRE

A twelve gauge shotgun cartridge is the only size that will easily fit a common water pipe size without machining, that is 3/4" pipe. The .800" outside diameter of the shell will go into the .824 inside diameter pipe wlth .024 to spare (theoretically). It is a snug fit and you probably will have to clean up burrs and blobs of galvanizing, but it will work. The only other 'possible' 's to put a 28 gauge shell into a 1/2" pipe. The shell is .615 diameter and the pipe is supposed to be .622, but allowing for manufacturing tolerances 1t may, or may not, work without considerable 'cleanup'. If you have access to a lathe you can chuck up a 1" diameter rod of steel (cold rolled or equivalent) 3-1/2 - 4"" long, and bore out as follows; For 12 ga. bore 13/16" (.8125) For 16 ga. bore 3+" ( . 750) For 20 ga. bore 23/32" (.718) For 28 ga. bore 5/8" ( .625) For 410 ga. bore 31/6g" (.g8g) or 1/2" (.500) It might also be interesting to try one of these bored out pieces by not boring all the way through, but Just enough to take the cartridge. The whole thing should move like a ROCKET.

6. GASOLINE GRIEF

Leave a full gallon gasoline can in cabin, or outbuilding, where it can be stolen, but be sure to spike it with a couple of cups of sugar first. Shake well to help dissolve the sugar into the gas. Sugar, upon being burned in a motor, turns 1nto an abrasive almost as hard as a diamond. This scores the pistons and motor block, usually beyond saving. Don't put in too much sugar because this will merely gum up the carburetor and stop the motor before the pistons can be damaged, and we don't want that to happen. A related trick, similar In intent, is to open a can of motor oil, pour out some (like a cupful) and put a handful of abrasive into what 1s left. 'Carefully wipe away any abrasive spilled on the outside, plug the hole with rolled-up paper, and shake well to mix the grit into the oil. This will give the impression that you opened a can to get enough oil to fill a 'squirt can' and are saving the rest. Even though most of the abrasive will settle out if left long enough there will always be enough in suspension. to cause the thief considerable grief. Though abrasive is the kind used for grinding valves, or can be obtained from a 'rock shop' where it is sold for polishing rocks by tumbling them in a drum. 400 grit or 600 grit (or finer) is best because 1t stays in suspension longer.

7. FISH HOOKS

There are excellent uses for fish hooks, preferably old, used, rusty ones with decayed fish still clinging to them. Any kind or size of fish hook is good but the best are the three pronged ones. They hook from any side, but even single hooks will do. The simplest trick is to tie the hooks firmly to the tips of bushes beside the bike trail so that as the Enemy Soldier rides by he brushes against them and is hooked, some times Just by his uniform, or better yet by the skin. A method that may produce better results is a 'trot-line' effect with the line strung from one bush, or tree, to another across the trail. To those of you who haven't had the advantages of a mid-West fishing boyhood a 'trot-line' is a main line hung between two points with a number of short lines tied to it at 1ntervals with hooks on the ends of the short lines. The advantage is that if' the Sold1er does ride through he 1s sure to be hooked. The disadvantage is that he might notice it and ride around to avoid it. That last sentence suggests another trick. Pick the most obvious path by which to 'go around' and booby-trap it with a buried trap. A way to get almost the same effect is to lash a number of hooks to bushes beside the trail, their. tie a plain line across the trail, anchored at each end to the branches with the hooks, so that when he rides through the line pulls the two branches against him, thus assuring a 'strike', OUCH!

8. T.V PICTURE TUBE TRICK

With so many television sets in use it is not hard to find a burned-out picture tube. THIS MAKES AN EXCELLENT BOOBY-TRAP. Bury one 1n a bike trail just deep enough to put about an inch of dirt on top, and scatter the rest of the dirt. The tube is buried 'face up', in other words the surface that you look at is up. Pack dirt around the tube to give it firm support. When a motorcycle tire impacts against this It will, of course, shatter. Since it is a 'vacuum' tube the implosion will send glass shards f1ylng like a bomb. This is one thing television repair men have to watch out for, and why they are so careful in handling these tubes. It makes a picture for the Home Defender to smilingly contemplate; an Enemy Soldier driving over one of these, his front wheel suddenly dropping down a foot at the same time daggers of glass come flying around. GREAT !!! An empty five gallon water bottle, like Sparkletts), works just about as well.

9. WHEEL GRABBER

There is used in the construction trade what is known as 'pencil rod', a steel rod about the diameter of an ordinary pencil. This size lends itself to an interesting, and devilish device known as a "wheel grabber". (How do I know it 1s known as that? I just named it.) Take a piece of this pencil rod about two and a half feet long, bend six inches of the ends at a right angle (90 degrees), both pointing the same way. Dig a hole across a bike trail a foot deep, a foot wide and a couple of feet long. Place across this pit one of the wheel grabbers with the bent ends up. Make sure the ends will stay up by some simple way like twigs pushed into the ground next to them, or a convenient rock. Place a cover over the hole, (like cardboard), and cover lightly with dirt. When a biker rides over this the rod will be bent so that the ends will be forced into the spokes. It is hard to have a wheel turn after it has had a steel rod Jammed into It, carried up and wedged up under the frame and / or fender.

10. TIP BOARDS

This is a variation of the Spike Board and can cause much more serious damage, either to the Enemy Soldier or to the motorcycle, or both. In effect a 'Tip Board' is a Spike Board with one end extending over a pit so that when a cycle drives over it the board is 'tipped' so that one end is in the pit, solidly lodged against one side, while the other end is raised up against either the cycle, or the Soldier ,or both. The amount and kind of damage this can do depends on how carefully designed the set-up is and where, and how big and what kind of spikes are driven into the board. The least it can do is to flip the bike. How hard of course depends on how fast the machine was traveling at the moment of impact. Anyplace you expect a fall you can hide sharpened spikes to add to the fun and festivities. The spikes in the part that raises up should be driven into the end a couple of inches to hold them solidly, then the head of the spike sawed off and the 'stub' filed to a sharp point. This way it can stab a nice hole in either the biker or the crankcase of the motorcycle. It is difficult to retain oil in a crankcase that has been punctured, just a leg could leak a bit with a deep hole torn in it.

11. FLIP WIRE

A heavy mire or cable stretched at an angle across the tra1l will suddenly change the direction of travel of the front end of a cycle, the resulting action being "...ears over teakettle", with, hopefully, broken parts. If the terrain and vegetation allows the easiest way is to tie the w1re at ground level around a heavy bush or small tree, lead it across the trail at about a 45 degree angle to shoulder-high in another tree. It should be designed so that the wire will be hit slightly above the axle area of the front wheel. If it hits too low the cycle might climb over it and you wouldn't get quite the interesting results you expect. If 'there is no tree or heavy bush conveniently placed for the ground level tie you can use what is known in the construction trade as a "dead man". This is merely a board, or a section of tree limb, or a cement block, etc... buried in the ground a foot or two and placed at right angles to the 'line of pull' so you can anchor to it. The 'direction of throw' is determined by which side of the trail the ground level tie is placed, so, naturally, if the trail leads along the edge of a cliff or gully you place the low end next; to the drop-off. This compounds the fun.

12. POWER HACK SAW BOARD

This is still another variation of the Spike Board, using a heavy (l.5" or 2" wide) power hack saw such as is used in machine shops. Even though the blade is too dulled to cut metal it will work fine on rubber. Mount it on a board as shown in the illustrations. They are particularly effective when planted at the bottom of a hill. Just make sure the cutting edge of the teeth point 'uphill'. Under the kind of acceleration needed to push a motorcycle and rider up a steep hill this would 'saw' through a tire completely around the circumference, leaving the tire in two halves. This makes it rather difficult to patch. These old saw blades can be gotten from most any machine shop. If there aren't any in-the scrap barrel ask the manager to save you some.

13. NECK WIRES

Wires stung 'neck high' to a bike rider can be fatal to an Enemy Soldier. A broken neck will seriously hamper a Soldiers activities. Ideal wire to use is very thin 'piano wire' lightly daubed with a dark brown or black paint to kill the shine. Since this wire has a tensile strength of something like 100,000 pounds per square inch it can be stretched between two trees very tightly. Any wire will do the job, even rusty barbed wire. Barbed wire has the advantage of gouging deep scratches even if it misses the neck area and only pulls across the chest and arms. This smarts, especially 1f the rider is thrown and gets dirt in the wounds. A variation is a loop hung down from a tree limb. This will act as a noose and as it tightens around the riders neck it will pull him off the cycle. He will probably have some difficulty in breathing.

14. TIN TROUBLE

This is a variation of the Tip Board which is a variation of the Spike Board which is ...Oh, well, here it is. If you can find a sheet of tin not over a couple of feet wide and five or six feet long you have all the material you need for this trick. An old piece of corrugated roofing will work just fine. Dig a pit across a b1ke path just as wide as your sheet of tin, and about two and a half or three feet long and about a foot and a half deep. Carefully place the tin across this -ao it is centered, (with the long way pointing along the path), that is from the middle of the pit to each end of the tin 1s the same distance. Cover the tin with the dirt dug out of the pit to make sure it is hidden. When an Enemy Soldier drives his bike onto this it will suddenly sag in the middle and the ends will rise up into position to gouge the riders ankles and/or slash the back tire... possibly flipping bike and rider in the process. A CIIEERFUL THOUGHT.

15. MORE SPIKE VARIATIONS

Let's not overlook the simpler forms of 'spikes', like a big washer with a bolt fastened through it and the tlp of the bolt sharpened either by grinding or filing. This will look like an oversize roofing nail. Incidentally roofing nails are not very effective on dirt, they require solid backing like pavement, so don't waste much time on them, although they are better than nothing. If you have a supply of roofing nails and want to use them for this purpose the simplest way is to drive them through a small piece of tin and lay the tin on the trail. This keeps the nail pointing up, and if it is one of the longer type, like 1.5 or 2" it will puncture a tire. A section of steel rod sharpened and planted in a trail with an inch or so of the sharpened end up works great. Why limit to steel, even brass or aluminum works. A piece of pipe with the end sharpened by sawing off at a sharp angle is very usable. It resembles (and acts like) a heavy chisel or gouge. A couple of inches sticking up in the middle of a trail will really 'do the Job'. What common items have I missed???

USE YOURIMAGINATION...AND HAVE FUN !!!

Well there you have it. The Earth First "Death Manual", uncut and uncensored. By posting this to the net, we will have undoubtedly "put it in the hands" of even more of the lunatic fringe, than have it already, but the important thing is that we have brought it to the attention of the people most likely to benifit from it. That is, You , your family, and fellow off-roaders who could be hurt or killed by these Eco Terrorists. Off-Road.com holds no copyright on this material. We encourage you to copy this article, print it, and distribute it to your fellow off-roaders who do not have access to a computer or the net. You could even bring it to your next club meeting. Forewarned is forearmed......

Norm Lenhart - Editor - VW's & Sand Cars