There are two main options, should the shit actually ever hit the fan: bugging in, or bugging out. Yes, there are variations to both of those, but that’s essentially your two choices in their most basic form. I’ve talked about bugging in a bit, and about hiding in forests and building shelters and such. But what about bugging out?
If you’ve decided (for whatever reason) to leave your home during an emergency, you have to address the issue of travel. Near as I can tell, you have a very limited number of methods to travel in the average bug out situation:
- your vehicle
- a non-motorized method of transport (ie a bicycle, unicycle, scooter, skateboard, etc.)
- riding an animal (horse, llama, sheep, yak, whatever)
- walking
Your vehicle, be it a car, truck, camper van, or motorcycle, is probably your first thought. I know it’s mine. My car already has a bug out bag in it, and in winter there’s always a 72 hour survival bucket stashed in the back, just in case. Your vehicle (other than the motorcycle, for the most part) is also a type of shelter, somewhere to be secure with doors locked, out of the rain and wind and snow, with at least somewhat comfortable sleeping arrangements. You can also cart things with you in a vehicle, such as food, clothing, emergency shelter like tents and tarps, first aid items, and weapons with ammo.
There’s a major drawback with vehicles, though. They run on fuel. If you run out of fuel, you stop. Now, if you carry a siphon kit (and I do recommend it, because sucking gas out of a tank without one is a very unpleasant thing indeed, and no I don’t want to talk about it), you can remove fuel from other vehicles. If the movies (and images of war torn countries) are reliable, you’ll probably find abandoned cars and trucks at the side of (or in the middle of) the roads. These can be checked for abandoned fuel, depending on your situation, and you can take from them if they have any.
You can carry extra fuel with you, though you may want to be careful about how you do that. You shouldn’t really carry fuel inside a vehicle, and if you have it on the outside, you’re advertising to everyone that you have fuel to spare. Whether it’s FEMA, desperate parents, or raiders, you could lose that extra fuel if you stop. Disguising it (fuel canisters inside empty suitcases?) might be your best bet, along with securing them with locks, and protecting yourself and your gear using firearms.
If there’s no fuel, or roads are blocked, you may not have the option to take your motorized vehicle. Time to look at the options available to you that don’t require gas. Bicycles are the most obvious choice, but most anything with wheels is going to be better than walking. You can go 10 to 20 miles an hour on a bike, and only 20 miles a day on foot. With a bike, you can also carry items. You can get baskets and saddle bags that will hold necessities. You can also get a trailer, and there are several inexpensive ones available. Bikes do have limits, though. Consider trying to get up a huge hill with a heavy trailer on the back of your bike. It’s not fun. If you plan to use a bicycle, you need to start practicing for that NOW. I guarantee, if you get on a bike at the last second during an emergency, you’ll give up on it about ten minutes later. You need to have muscle memory if you want to use a bike as a primary mode of transportation.
Bikes lack some of the features of cars and vans. They don’t have an inside space, and you can’t lie down inside them. They don’t provide any shelter or security. They can be stolen relatively easily. There’s a distinct limit to how much stuff you can carry with you. In the winter, or during bad weather, a bicycle is a miserable way to travel.
If you can find yourself an animal to ride, that’s a better option. Horses, mules, and donkeys are all pretty easy to take care of. While they do require fuel, you can find quite a bit of it on the ground in the warmer parts of the year. They can carry a lot of stuff, especially if you have properly made gear for them (saddlebags, panniers, etc.). I know a lot of people think, “Gee, I can just take off with that neighbor’s horse after the shit hits the fan…” Stop it. Leaving aside that it’s stealing (because if we’re dealing with an apocalypse, I’m more important than a neighbor), that horse knows who owns it and where it lives. If you try to steal it, you could get injured, and if you don’t know how to take care of it, I guarantee it will simply walk home the second your back is turned.
Animals are better for carrying than riding, quite honestly. If you walk and an animal carries gear in packs, you will have more than doubled your carrying capacity. Even dogs and cats can wear a level of gear, which is rather cool.
That brings us to walking. If we truly end up in an apocalyptic situation (or something bad happens, like the hurricane in the Carolinas), you’ll be walking. We’ll all be walking. It behooves us to get used to doing that now, and not wait until after the emergency happens. Start by walking around in your neighborhood, and work your way up to winter hikes that include miles of walking and a full pack on your back.
The biggest drawback to walking is that you can’t carry as much stuff with you. It limits the amount of food, water, and ammo you have. There’s just so much you can carry in a pack, and even if weight doesn’t do you in, the bulk might. My military sleep system does fit onto the top of my backpack, but it towers high over my head, and is awkward. I can hike with it, but only because I’ve practiced, and even then it’s uncomfortable. So how do you solve that problem?
There are actually a lot of ways to solve it. A simple litter comes to mind. Two poles with a jacket or sheet strung between them become a litter for you to stow your gear onto, and you can drag it behind you or share the weight with a fellow traveler. A better option, though, is to utilize wheels.
There are a few different and very cool ways to carry heavier or bulkier items while trekking. Here are my top five:
Some of them are more expensive than others, but if you are planning on walking a long distance, it may be worth it for you to have one of these neat little carts. Of course, if you’re poor like I am, you can also make your own. There are a bunch of tutorials online, so have a look around and find one that matches what you need.
All of this travel talk is useless unless you know where you’re going. Do not believe, as some have said to me, that you’re just going to hunker down in the woods in primitive overnight shelters, and wander aimlessly during the day. Not only is that impractical, it’s just stupid. Have a goal in mind. My own plan is to bug in, but I have three separate locations that I can go to, should I have to bug out. One is a closer area, and two are more remote.
Knowing where you’re going is more than just knowing your destination. We tend to rely heavily on GPS navigation these days, and if satellites are working, great. However, what if they’re not? Do you know how to reach your destination(s) using only your own knowledge, or with the help of paper maps? Do you HAVE any paper maps? Do you have a compass, and do you know how to use it? Being prepared for travel means not just knowing what means you’re going to use to get there, but also HOW to get there. Are the roads likely to be usable? Can you off-road if necessary? Do you know back routes to your destination(s)?
A few days of planning now may save your life in an emergency. Helene and Milton have taught us that we need not be dealing with the zombie apocalypse to need all this information. What plans do you have for if you need to bug out?
Comments
9 responses to “Prepping – Travel”
Allyson another great post that’s well written and thought out. On the topic of using animals, which is our choice of primitive travel, if available, one horse per person to ride and one for packing (mules are exceptional for this task) is an excellent method of moving people and a reasonable amount of gear. However as you mentioned regarding bicycle use, someone with limited experience with equine transportation will find themselves nearly immobile after only a few hours in the saddle. Horses are very astute at determining the experience of the rider on their back and will react to that experience level, depending upon their personality an inexperienced rider may become an airborne projectile quite quickly. Dogs that are well trained will be invaluable as early warning devices for the group or family.
Thank you for the addition on horses and mules. While I “know” that stuff, I am not by ANY means qualified to speak on it. I can ride a horse and they’ll pay attention to me because I’ve had enough lessons that I’m secure, but that’s about it. And yes, if you’re not used to sitting on a horse, that can be pretty ouchy, too.
I should also note the same thing about traveling on snowshoes or skis, as well. Anything you’re unused to is going to cause pain, and you need to be prepared for that.
Regarding GPS. Your phones will likely go down relatively shortly after bad things happen. They are not hardened. They will not be kept in Faraday cages. They burn through power.
The issue regarding power is not how long they will run on a charge, it is how much power (Watts) it takes to charge them.
Invest in a good hand – held GPS unit. I like my Garmin. They are not that expensive. They are more robust than your phone. They can be stored with the batteries out and in a Faraday cage/bag.
When you need them, they are ready to go. You can then add a waypoint, travel to that waypoint, erase the waypoint, then enter the next.
Some have the ability to store street maps.
Treat that device as you would your radio. Nothing stored that will leak information if it is captured.
“invest” in a good old fashioned COMPASS. topographical maps and a Silva map compass will get you anywhere. and zero batteries or charging.. I got laughed at by a guy cause he saw my compass I had in a tank pouch on the bike- well , I got a compass on my phone… well good for you, what you gonna do when your phone dies?? depending on technogizmos will get you killed.
Yes. You have to be able to read a flippin’ map. I can’t tell you how hamstringed our kids are by these devices. Don’t get me wrong, I like my devices, but I know how to function without them.
It should be noted that your microwave is, by definition, a Faraday Cage. So on Monday nights, we can all put our cell phones into our nukers and keep them there for the next few days. Just don’t USE the microwave… 😉
The following is kind of disjointed but I’ll do my best. A lot of people fall into the trap of their personal strengths and limitations when considering what to do, even when they intend to bug out with others (family, friends, like-minded individuals, etc.). Many also assume that they or everyone will be home when having to evacuate, or that everyone can get home quickly. Not always the case.
Scenario A: Bug out vehicle is a stick shift that Dad normally drives. Dad is sick/injured/unavailable and Mom has to get herself, the kid, the dog and possibly an infirm husband to Bugout Location A. Neither Mom, the kid or the dog can drive a stick. Mom’s car is smaller and can’t fit everything that is on the list to take. Now what?
Scenario B: Bugout location A is 2.5 miles away and travel will have to be done by foot. Wife is in good shape and can make that with a full pack in under an hour. Husband isn’t in bad shape but doesn’t exercise like Wife does and can make it in 1.5-2 hours with a full pack. Which do you plan for?
Scenario C: Dad is at work when the world goes ploin-shaped. The good news is he is only 15 minutes from home! Unfortunately he has to cross the interstate which is jam-packed with people who got the word before he did. By extension, all of the feeder roads and side roads are packed as well. He’s looking at 30-45 minutes, easy, if not longer. During that time he is not packing, getting the family ready, securing the home…
An uncle was a career backpacking guide and one of his adages was “You are as fast and able as the slowest and most limited member in your group.”
scenerio C is why I would not live anywhere in the world without one 4wd vehicle… my company owned vehicle I drive for work is all wheel drive- I WILL get home.. plus I know 99% of the roads in my state.. I can get home from most anywhere in the state without touching the two interstate highways- I95 and I295(shiiteshow),or main roads like rt1, rt2,rt1A… learn your terrain, know your terrain.
My wife is still bed bound post heart attack, so bugging out isn’t an option for us, yet.
However, I am nervous enough this year to start accumulating gear to build basically a UPS with the ability to keep it charged using regular house / generator power, but it also has an MPPT solar controller that can supplement the recharging and save some fuel if on generator. I currently only have 400 watts of solar, (one string of four 100 watt panels, but my combiner has room for 6 strings total. The solar limit at the moment will be the MPPT as it is only rated at 870 watts output to the battery.
I’m not really thinking TEOTWAWKI and whole house, but more along the lines of keeping some lights on, the internet router up, being able to charge phones, and supporting some medical gear overnight WITHOUT having to keep a generator running constantly.
Time frame wise, I’m thinking maybe a day or two or perhaps up a week or so outage due to winter / storm / equipment failure, etc. I’m also planning on stashing some fuel barrels with a pump and store at least 50 gallons of gas, and another for diesel. (Non attached ventilated tool shed is perfect for two 55 gallon barrels.)
The medical gear consists of a few CPAPs and an oxygen concentrator.
The concentrator is the major fly in the ointment. It uses about 350 watts while running, but the CPAP power requirements are minimal. Maybe 3x 10 watts each after they warm the water.
I am starting out with about 4.8kWh of battery, which gives me a run time of a bit longer than 11 hours. I plan to add more battery and charger capacity in the next month, once the slush fund recovers a bit more. (The battery manufacturer recommends that all the batteries be manufactured within three months of each other, so adding more next month is ok. Adding batteries really needs to be matched with additional charger capacity so you don’t wind up extending the charging time.)
The O2 concentrator will probably only run between 7 and 8 hours, give or take. Lights will be off at night when sleeping, and will add maybe 20 watts to the load if they were all on at once. I have several loose 5 gallon propane tanks, (BBQ) and several 10 gallon ones I can pull off of the trailer, so cooking on propane for a week should be pretty ‘doo-able.’
The batteries can be charging while running the 5kW gen set for other high power uses, like the microwave, toaster oven, pulling the freezer and fridge back down, etc.
If we’re not turned into various radioactive isotopes by next year, I plan of assembling 8 to 10 kW of solar, probably around 25 to 35 kW/hr of battery, and a split phase inverter / charger that will handle at least 6kW continuous and 10 to 12 kW peak.
The gen set I have is more than adequate to pair with a 6kWh inverter system when we upgrade, so that will be one less thing to buy for a larger system.