bugging out, location, prepper, preparedness, survival
Random Thoughts

From the Bug Out Location of John Rourke – June 14th, 2017

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The discussions yesterday revolving around bugging out and bug out locations got me thinking. This has been a major topic for me over the past few years and I’ll share some of what I have experienced.

As someone mentioned yesterday many of us just do not have the funds to live in a home and also purchase additional land. In my case I have multiple bug out locations should a situation get severe enough that leaving home is necessary. I do not own any of these locations. My primary location is a designated area that the survival group I am a member has selected. The property is lived on by one of the members and is located well off the beaten path. We are in the process of establishing a pre-staged cache of supplies at the retreat so members do not have to bring everything when things get bad. I had my first supply run this past weekend.

My secondary location is located close to 160 miles(7 gallons of gas) from my home. At a little over 3 hours during normal times, this is not ideal as heavy traffic could easily double travel time to 6+ hours. My brother lives on close to 40 acres in Georgia and is also well off the beaten path. My brother is also a prepper, however, I really need to pre-stage supplies there as well. In a meeting I had with David – aka SouthernPrepper1 – he mentioned that you never know where you will be when something happens. I visit my brother several times per year so it is possible that something could occur while visiting. It would wise to store some supplies there – just in case.

I cannot conceive of a situation where I would NOT reside in one of these locations when the fit hits the shan. If – and that is a big IF – an alternate location is needed I would target areas such as state parks and wildlife refugees. A camp would be set up as far from any traveled public road or logging road as possible. If cabin rentals are present even better.

The information above is related to me and my circumstances. I’ll look into expanding more on the entire bugging out topic. As Clark mentioned when it all goes bad fuel may not be able to be purchased. There may be no electricity. Water will need to be gathered. Security will be important and a 24/7 watch is critical. Bugging out throwing everything needed for months in your trunk is difficult. There are ways though(caches and trailers).

A good start is to consider different likely scenario’s that could occur – causing you to bug out. If “X” occurs how much time would you have to get to “Y”? How can I make sure I have the fuel to get there? What would be the best time to travel? What “triggers” would cause me to head out ASAP – and which ones would just have me pack a few extra supplies and get ready?

Good discussions yesterday.

Rourke

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12 Comments

  1. Clark says:

    Those are the questions I struggle with everyday as I plan and prepare, I know you have a plan, even a plan B, I commend you for that rourke, but I challenge when writing you new book, what if something happened to those locations, what if you had to act without a location, where would you go, what would you do? It’s a challenge we should all think about and consider while there isn’t Pete sheer panic, fear for our loved ones, and complete chaos, if we can’t get a grip on this scenario, I don’t think we could in a real shtf event. The woods as far away from people is the go to for me as well, but then what? Most people don’t know that if you have a fire you should have it at the base of a tree because it spreads the smoke out where you can’t trace the origin, what security preps can we take that will ease the fear while we sleep, what kind of patrol will one take to try and foresee danger, how will we survive the winter, how long should we hide, according to FEMA we will lose 90% of the population of the United States in two years without power, but the first year is the majority of us, what should we look for in people we meet if we do survive the first few months? I think botany, primitive survival, escape and evade knowledge will be key, as well as tactical knowledge, and first aid of course. If we as a prepping group can be prepared for this, I think anything else would have to be easier, right?

    Reply
  2. GotUR6 says:

    I would appreciate you going into detail about what triggers you would be looking for. I know being a month too early is better than being 5 minutes too late. But since I don’t have the ability to head out every time something looks a little suspicious I’d like to know what you and others think is the real deal – obviously other than a nuclear or EMP attack.

    Reply
    1. JR says:

      Tough topic GotUR6 as the triggers could vary so greatly. I’ll likely touch on this when I discuss bugging out more later but rather than specific triggers I would suggest we look “conditions” rather than events.

      Conditions that would cause me to seriously consider – or hit the pavement – to bug out location would include mass civil unrest and mass power outages. What causes those could vary greatly. These two are just a couple examples. Obviously, if aliens suddenly appeared on the front lawn of the White House and vaporized it, well – that may be a trigger as well. 😉

      The book I am working on will be fairly general to accommodate a variety of conditions. Food storage will be a large topic but not “bug out foods”. Firearms will be a large topic with some suggestions but not 9mm versus 45ACp or AK versus AR.

      Reply
    2. Clark says:

      I agree completely, one of my biggest fears is waiting to long to leave. Take my area for example, sometimes we will have 5 or 6 hurricanes in one season with I’ve seen as high as 3 to 4 evacuation warning’s. When this happens all hotels within several hundred miles are booked, if you do find one it’s usually a couple hundred a night, tent camping isn’t really a option either, even if your on the opposite coast you still get sideways rain and tropical storm range winds at that distance, hurricanes are sometimes hundreds of miles in diameter. Charley took everything I had from me, the following year Wilma parked my 24ft boat in my kitchen and lasted 10 hrs before moving off. I lived on Estero island during both, a 7 mile long, 3/4 mile wide Barrier reef island also known as Fort Myers Beach during both, Charley’s storm surge covered most of the island, 5ft in some areas, after the storm they shut the north and south bridges down and wouldn’t let anyone on the island, I was luckier than most, I had a 35ft self contained rv in my driveway that wasn’t damaged, had friends with restaurants giving us food, first walk in food, then deep freeze walk in a few days later as things began to thaw, we lasted for two weeks without power or a way to get new more supplies after, national guard finally showed up by the end, but still no help for food and water. My point to all this is, these were pretty small islands, the damage was very bad, but it was pretty isolated and after two weeks we didn’t have help yet, in a nationwide event, or even just a few states, don’t think help is coming! It’s not, it won’t! If you see something coming, as your thinking about the cons of leaving, make sure you list the things that could happen if you don’t.

      Reply
  3. Capt.Michaels says:

    One of our group members is close to or ready to take a giant leap off the grid. He is willing to move to our property, go off the grid, and therefore take care of said property. In return he will sell what he can at the farmers market from the gardens we will get started. The other group members would then make monthly trips bringing in supplies and/or anything else we can contribute to help him. He would also get his measly retirement check to help him. This will meet his needs as the property will be self sustaining. He will also be maintaining defenses on the property and coms. This is a former Vietnam guy so we know he’s good and WILL be there when we get to the property. Someone trying to sneak up on or get on his area will find out with extreme self-defense is.

    Reply
      1. SingleMom says:

        We’re trying to do something similar. We still own property and a rundown house in a neighboring county. A family friend is willing to make it habitable on her own dime, then cover the cost of property taxes (through me) in exchange for free rent until such time as one of the kids wants to live there and take over. It’s not off-grid, but there are enough natural resources that it could be, if necessary. An outbuilding and a small room inside the house are going to be reserved for our supplies. We’re still in the early planning stages, but it’s looking like a win-win situation for both households. The biggest worry to me about getting there in an emergency is the fact that we have to cross a high bridge over a wide and fast river. There’s no reasonable detour around it.

        Reply
  4. Firehawk says:

    Triggers you look for! I just got info that the state of the nation/union as being so divisive, split, polarized is greater than it was before the Civil War. This might be a point to research and ponder. Damn, the lot of you are so lucky! Living in a neighborhood where noone talks to anyone is unbelievable! That’s why I am hoping I can move to SC, rural. At least that would give me a better fighting chance. I am 70 and my wife is 65. She is a surgical nurse but is overweight and can’t lift much stuff.
    If it goes down before I move, I will just have to take as many as I can with me.

    Reply
    1. Lightning says:

      Firehawk- I hear your concerns as my husband and I are older and have health issues.
      Those who are younger and in top shape have an advantage but the wisdom and the experience of older age can be valuable .

      Reply
  5. Lightning says:

    Rourke and everyone – these past several months I have been doing some soul searching.I have prepped since 1997. Now I believe that those of us who are faith filled
    need to do our best to prep but then to trust that where ever we are and whatever
    disaster occurs(be it man made or nature ) that we will be in the place where the Lord wants us to be.( might not be where WE want to be ) and that He will provide the grace
    that will get us through. Lightning

    Reply
    1. Clark says:

      Amen to that lightning! In the end we are all in gods hands! But let’s not forget all those bibble stories about god telling his people to prepare and to leave at times, the sea was parted for his people to get away from the danger, and while I think our faith is our most precious resource, I also know I’ve ignored that voice telling me to do what I should do in the past and have paid for it, as we all have, but if we truly follow our heart as king David did to serve our father, then we have nothing to fear, we are following the path god put us on! I hope I’m quoting this right, it’s been many years since I went to church, but I pray every night, and believe I do my best to live by what’s right in the lords eyes.

      Reply
  6. joyce says:

    Well said/good points everyone….Lightening & Clark-SO true, our faith IS a large component in how to approach/complete our preps to a large number of the readers here. Most of us are aware there is a “still small voice”…(sometimes not so small. 🙂 )…and even those not deliberately listening hear it ! But, it is SO true, our plans are not always His plans and even those with no plan will be led…

    Reply

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