Glad you and your buddy came through OK! I am sure that Sheryl Crow would have been proud of your limited usage of toilet paper.

A great reminder story to always carry your own stash of gear.

(And all of a sudden the roll of T.P. I keep in a Ziploc in every vehicle doesn't sound so crazy after all...)

Not at all, but some think I am crazy for keeping a roll in my golf bag.

I agree with you fellows but have started to keep those thick blue shop towels in the truck instead of TP, I find them more multi-use (bandage, spills, check oil, wipe hands ...).

We also kept baby wipes in the outhouse at the hunt camp this year and they worked out great.

Mike

I have wipes in both my BOB and my EDC, along with TP. I know people all over the world did not wipe as Americans do, but I consider something to do it with the closely follow behind air to breathe, water to drink, shelter, and food. It might come in front of food in many cases.

If I lacked toilet facilities with plenty of running water, wipes would be my first choice, along with alcohol gel.

Perhaps I should add wipes to my golf bag, but to date I've felt secure enough with just TP. I have not used it, but I also do not wish to leave soiled socks on the golf course.

Perhaps I should also make taking my EDC with me in my golf bag a habit. That would be a good idea.

After you prior post, I went to the store and bought alcohol gel to add to my BOB and EDC. $1.29 for something small and simple is worth it.

Don't worry. I have never made any such additions to the golf course, and I don't plan on it.

A couple of things you didn’t address

Did the truck die 100%? Most times with a blown head gasket it still runs, it just gets hot quick and runs out of water quick. Both could be addressed with some extra water and driving the truck for only 5-min at a time and letting it cool down and refilling the radiator (leaving the cap loose prevents pressure build up) and driving for another 5-min. In 5-min of driving you could easily cover 3 or 4-miles or so.

Why did you not sleep in the cab of the truck, it’s insulated, water proof and wind proof? It would seem to be better then makeshift shelter and it’s already made.

If it’s only a 40 acre farm, why not walk the 40 acres to the house?

The 40 acres is a remote section that is not attached to the main property and is several miles away 40+ from his home and 25 miles from the closest house that we know of or the closest town.
The truck died we managed to destroy the main bearings (found out after we took it apart) and was knocking to the point we didn't think it was worth trying.
As far as sleeping in the cab of the truck we had a pole barn with three sides and a roof and we made a temporary wall from the tarp in the truck. There was hay to use to sleep on and to cover ourselves on top of the blankets that were in the truck. We had the choice cramped truck kicking each other all nights or being comfortable on and in a pile of hay. And we were also able to build a fire that we couldn't build in the truck.
Beside we were having a good time and it was a break from his wife’s honey do list.

This would have been an ideal case for your friend to cache a few survival items in the barn just in case something like this happened.

If I was in his place, I would have assembled 3 or 4 caches and put them in save locations around the ranch.

But then again ... re-readig the story I think that depending on Sandi coming after dark ... what if SHE faced a problem in the way, and she was alone.

Put an old cell phone and one of those hand crank flashlights with a charging port with any other supplies you cache. Around here you can find old cell phones for $5.00 at garage sales. No need for it to be active as they all work to call 911 without service. Even with a junk battery, the hand crank generator after several min of cranking would charge it enough to make a short 911 call.