Boxing These Down, Here
1 hour ago
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Is your there still there?
Bugging out to the wilderness.
If you have to bug out, it's a darn good idea to have a location in mind. There's a subset of preppers who are comfortable with heading out into the wild places. Remember a great place you've been to and thought it would be an ideal place to lay low for a while?
That's all well and good, but is your place still there? When I was a kid there was a rather extensive wild area that looked like a good place to disappear. It had a thick tree canopy, lots of small streams for drinking water and fishing, and no roads into the heart of it. Even experienced woodsmen had a fair chance of getting lost.
Last time I was there I almost got lost, but that's because there are so many logging roads it's easy to confuse them. That deep forest canopy? Clear cut.
One of my buddies was checking out recent satellite photos of his ideal wilderness bug out location. He hadn't been out there in a year and the satellite imagery was about 6 months old. Since he'd been there, two logging roads had been extended to the periphery of his chosen area. Fortunately, that's about as far as it's practical to log. Beyond that it's too steep and rocky. My friend will use one of the new roads to preposition some gear and supplies.
Recent satellite images are a great place to start, but nothing beats boots on the ground. Things change. That great access road may have a bridge that's about to collapse. Hard to tell from commercially available satellite info.
Bugging out is certainly not my first choice. Heck, I'm pretty much living in a bug out location to begin with. If I do have to head deeper into the woods, I'm going to want to know that the woods are still there.
-Sixbears
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I'd hate to have any surprises at such a time.
ReplyDeleteThat would be an unpleasant surprise.
DeleteI agree that knowing what awaits you at your retreat of choice is crucial!
ReplyDeleteDon't need that kind of unpleasant surprise waiting for you!
It would be unpleasant to indeed!
DeleteWhat is really amazing is just how fast things like this happen.
ReplyDeleteThey have it down to a science now. It's the same with sub divisions and commercial property.
It takes a little over a month to go from untouched nature to a finished house w/ yard and paved road anymore if they are in a hurry.
Using diesel powered logging machines with hydraulic shears and bark strippers can devastate a forested area in no time flat.
It's mind boggling.
It certainly can happen darn fast.
DeleteI'd really be interested to know what may cause you and others to need to bug out. What do you and many others think is going to happen and when? And are a lot of people that you know of actually preparing for some huge event that will cause people to actually do what you're suggesting?
ReplyDeleteThis sort of bug out is for very low odd events, like a total civil breakdown. They are low odds, but high danger. My buddy lives in a city that seems to barely function during the best of times. He's like to get away to the woods to wait it out.
DeleteHis main concerns right now are economic collapse and the break down of civil society, plus the chance of pandemic. He'd like to sit that out isolated in the woods.
It's interesting to use the 'time slide' on Google Earth when looking at a particular spot. The changes are amazing, especially when looking at farm country.
ReplyDeletePhyllis (N/W Jersey)
It does go both ways. There's more forest in NH now than in Colonial days.
DeleteThe Flying TortoiseMay 8, 2013 at 5:17 AM
ReplyDeleteI'd really be interested to know what may cause you and others to need to bug out.
Must nice to be this unaware of our very unstable economy and the highly likely probability of it all coming down.
Myself...I'd much rather look down the road and have a half assed chance
I "bugged out" of city life years ago.
DeleteMost believe a bug out plan is a day on some forum and a backpack....
ReplyDeleteMay God help them....
God help us all. I'm not at liberty to reveal my buddy's plans, but let's just say they are extensive and his gear is in order.
DeleteSERE dominates my buggout plan. And it's a full circle plan. I was up in the highlands all last week with a camera. The plan is rather simple, be where people aren't. Secondly, be where you aren't expected to be. Thirdly, be mobile, on sea, air, or land.... Close the gaps in the circle. I just added a multi caliber single shot to my armory. That will go a long way to improve my chances. I added a manco fat cat for extra mobility. With a good sound suppressor, it rocks with a small trailer for extra payload and foam filled tires. Those logging roads become a highway. The trailer floats, but I have not solved the floatation for the bike. I expect to be able to stow it on a triloboat. I will be able to run it on wood gas. The triloboat can be carried behind a small car on a trailer or has landing gear for easy portage ability or I can launch it nearby if needed. I have not solved the air mobility issue as of yet. All the other preps are done.
ReplyDeleteI had to look up what a Manco Fat Cat was. Cool mini bike. Looks like it would pretty much do the job of a Rokon, but for a lot less money.
DeleteI haven't figured out the air mobility issue either. Not on my budget.
Any of those adult mini bikes will do the job. The trailer is a small mortar box mounted with 3 axles and six tires, It follows the bike any where on or off road. The secret of the Fat cat is the "final drive sprocket". Lots of torque to get way up away from the quad trails. Fill the tires with low expansion foam and you have zero problems. Remove all chrome and give the bike a 4 season ghillie suit. I call mine the Iron Mule.
Delete. . . and now I want one.
Delete