Good post, Sam.
I envision things kinda along the same lines. Anarchists, OWS types, (fill in your thug here) take a few pot shots at fuel truck drivers. Their union, somewhat sympathetic to the nuts anyway, goes on strike. The miners, railroaders and tug boat operators soon do the same. Maybe a “tragic” refinery fire for good measure. Gas stations and grocery stores run out, the lights go out and the cops and National Guard are home guarding their turf. Commerce grinds to a halt.
Hungry desperate people lash out for sustenance. Dollars are useless, except for lighting cigars, if one had a cigar. Gunfire is heard, mostly at night. The thin veneer of civilization is stripped away in a fortnight. How does it end? Who knows?
Sorry for the melodramatic post, but that’s why I prep. If nothing happens, the local church food bank makes out and my son has a nice firearms collection.
We are of a like mind. As I tell my spouse...all we have socked away is usable for everyday and the rest are assets.
As you say, best case scenario, we have a huge barbecue picnic for the neighborhood and spend a lot of time at the range. Better to have it and not need than to need it and not have it.