Posted on 07/14/2011 9:06:55 PM PDT by Kartographer
Even if you are fortunate enough to have a retreat out in the country getting to your safe haven maybe impossible during upheaval. Roads blocked by wrecked and fuelless vehicles will stop most bugouters in their tracks. Maybe you were born lucky and can make it out safely before the balloon bursts, then what? People in rural areas, will start shooting if threatened by mobs of refugees fleeing the city. Don’t expect to be welcomed with arms outstretched. Most country folks don’t trust outsiders; you will likely be greeted with a load of buckshot and not the cup of fresh coffee and meaningful conversation you hoped for.
(Excerpt) Read more at survive2thrive.net ...
Don’t forget such things as railroad tracks and power line right-of-ways.
But I’m sure you have thought of those as have I.
Let me know if you ever need a Trans-Atlantic sailor who also happens to be an ex-US Infantry heavy weapons instructor. lol
Orders which will be ignored by most uniformed officers. They'll be thinking of protecting their families and homesteads first and foremost.
By coincidence, folks E&E down both defunct RR tracks and powerlines in Foreign Enemies And Traitors.
But always on high-alert for ambush, only at night, etc.
There has never been a better time or more reasons to live off the grid.
“Urban zombies cannot survive in the mountains.”
Even the foothills will keep them at bay. Historically, people do not walk more than five miles. The vast majority never walk past one mile.
I think anyone living outside the cities in almost any type of location will do just fine. The city slickers will do themselves in before they wander off too far.
I should have guessed! So what with rain catchment, reverse osmosis and big tanks, no thirsting to death.
Anyone whose worst case scenario includes still having electricity and functioning sewage and water coming out of the faucets ought to re-think their plans.
One can get perfectly clean with a 4 gallons of water, a bucket and something to pour it with.
Also people need to think of soap and other cleaning supplies. I have several cases of Kirks Castile soap - works if need be for clothes, as well as skin and hair. Rinses very fast so uses less water.
Let's hope that's where they go when the cities start to burn....and not flee to non urban areas.
Here in the Peoples Republik of Illinois most of the old RR rights of way have had the tracks torn out and turned into what are now called Prairie Paths. The only trouble is, well, it's the Great Plains and these things run straight as arrows for mile after mile after mile. Many of them run right along major State routes as well with concealment consisting of a straight line of trees about 4 feet wide on either side of them.
Anybody trying that little trick here won't make it two miles.
As long as there’s plenty of food up in the mountains, yes.
Hey, that’s right. I’d forgotten that grid electricity may be going up. Building PV systems is well worthwhile, if we build them ourselves and build them well. There are still initial costs and efforts, though.
The climate here is awesomely, gloriously brutal. Most Americans would have considered May to be winter weather. ...nearest dying town is a long road march away, while the nearest larger city is a big no-go kind of distance with few roads and many large predators between there and here. ;-) The short summers...still an unusually high heat exhaustion risk at above 9,000 feet. Feels like spring in the shade or in a car, but the sun can kill a man real quick. Wind gusts in winter sometimes over 100 mph, very often over 60.
We were still taking fresh-water rinses to our salt-water baths even after 60 days at sea with 4 crew.
I agree.
“I agree, bugging out via road is probably going to be worse that “bugging in” when you hit all the roadblocks, ambushes etc.”
The issue is that many folks of a survivalist mindset think that there will be some honor code amongst the “prepared”, when clever folks (possibly more clever than themselves) who have thought through their own self-interest and may cutoff access to the best supplied bug-out locations to more than just the starving masses pillaging the countryside.
Every decision made in times like these will have consequences. But one best not underestimate the level of depravity that is possible in people during times of duress.
Have you read FerFals “Urban Survival Guide?” It’s by far the best resource on the subject.
I agree with him that a cohesive subdivision is more defensible than spread out multi-acre or larger parcels. One family CANNOT defend one property in the open country from patient attack or sneak attack. The bad guys will also have scoped deer rifles.
“Have you read FerFals “Urban Survival Guide?” It’s by far the best resource on the subject.”
I’ve not read his book, but have been a regular reader of his blog. I lived there as a kid, so have a bit of a perspective.
I tend to think he’s got the right idea on most things - If the economy collapses it won’t be mad max, but it will be a lot different than before. In some areas I’m not sure we’re far away from what he describes.
The other end of the spectrum are the folks building bunkers...and that’s another story entirely.
“As long as there’s plenty of food up in the mountains, yes.”
The good news for us is that we also have enough flat lands to run farms if necessary. Colorado is a huge farm State. There are also lots of ranches here with loads of cattle and the like. Where I lieve there is plenty to eat, from grow, to hunting, to ranching. I live next to several ranches. We also have oil, natural gas, and other major natural resources.
I also figure if times get tough the vast majority of people will go home to where they came from. Colorado is an immigrant State. Few people actually were born here and hold loyalties to other places.
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