Category: G. O. O. D.

Preparing My First Bug-out Bag, by TK4

HJL Adds: TK4, age 13, wrote this as a homeschool project. In this article I am going to teach readers how to prepare a bug-out bag. This 13 year-old has had a bug-out bag for two years, and every year it grows better and better. I have put this article together with five main steps that are essential to any bug-out bag. I have listed the items that I have put into my bag and put them in order of necessity. Survival Essentials Here I am going to list the things that I deem are essential in my bag. However, …


Letter: Railroad Bugout

Hi Jim, Here’s an Interesting video from Cambodia, which triggered a series of thoughts on bugging out. You have used railroad tracks and trains in your books to speed along movement away from roads and people. This video shows how anyone who has tracks near them and need an escape route when the roads are blocked could be so very simple. The parts to put this together should be cheap and, depending on location, readily available just to have in the garage as a back up back up plan. I am sure enough readers can also tweek it in such …


Two Letters Re: Route Security

Route Security by Chuck S. was a good article, but I would add a few things:   –          Newer cars will have daylight running lights and some basic tools may be needed to disable them for real covert night travel. –          If you can afford them, and practice using them, NVGs are great for covert night travel. –          Relying on Fuel en route is a gamble. Ideally, carry the fuel you need to get to your destination. For that, you should have a fuel supply stored and rotated. Use proper storage containers and procedures for safety. Use fuel stabilizer to …


Two Letters Re: How to Travel as a Prepper When You are a Road Warrior

Dear Mr Rawles, I would like to comment on the letter entitled, “How to Travel as a Prepper When you are a Road Warrior.”   I commend him for trying to be prepared when traveling, however I think he can easily be better prepared.   When I travel I carry the following in a backpack.   1) LifeStraw portable water filter. This is for emergency use only. 2) Bottle of Polar Pure water disinfectant. Polar Pure is based on Iodine Crystals. Polar Pure never expires. It can purify up to 20,000 gallons of water. Note however, that you only want …


Route Security, by Chuck S.

Much has been written regarding bug-out bags, vehicle choice and maintenance, weaponry and retreat locations but the one issue missing is how you are going to get there. There are numerous issues to consider in selecting your primary and alternate routes to your bug-out location and hopefully the following will assist in your route selection and maintaining security en route. Route selection can depend on numerous decision points such as fuel locations, traffic load, choke points and law enforcement roadblocks / checkpoints.  Do the highway entry / exit points already have gates on them to close them off during inclement …


How to Travel as a Prepper When You are a Road Warrior, by S.S.

I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and remember spending many afternoons in the basement due to tornado warnings and watches. Several times a year, we saw homes across town destroyed by the tornados. Seeing homes destroyed up close as an eight year old made an impression. After our first winter blizzard, Mom started prepping and established a corner in the basement with our food stuffs, books, toys, radio, flashlight, water and a mattress for us to sleep on.   About two years ago, I gave up on living in the suburbs and moved 20 miles away in a rural area …


My Move to the American Redoubt, by Jason L.

The recent article The Benefits of a Homesteading Approach to Preparedness, by Chaya had much wisdom about moving before a crunch. There will not be time to prepare or get to know your surroundings if you wait. I have dreamed about moving to the American Redoubt for the last 3-4 years, however there were several things that prohibited me. I had a house payment and small business in Rural Northern Pa, I had a great job and family ties. I did not want to leave my father and small hobby farm. In December of last year my mother received news …


Six Letters Re: A Contingency Bag for Frequent Air Travelers

Hey, Jim: I think we need some more collective thought on this. I’ve got more time in the air than most people–4,000+ hours as an Army helicopter pilot (where we wore a cleverly-stocked survival vest; alas, a lot of the contents would not pass TSA scrutiny), 2 million+ miles on Delta, and about that many more on defunct airlines (especially Eastern and TWA). Getting stuck somewhere could happen to me on a trip. Here’s some of my thinking (and I still need some help): It seems to me that anything important should be in the carry-on bag, not checked. Most …


Letter Re: Motorcycles and Their Role in Preparedness

Mr Rawles, I have read many articles and have seen many videos on motorcycles and their role in preparedness. While I agree with the views of most people on a majority of their points, I also disagree with them on some. Selection of a motorcycle and route planning are two key items that I think many people overlook. If I live in a rural community and I’ve traveled the off-road trails quite often then I have no problem selecting a Dirt-Bike, Dual-Sport or even an “Adventure” Bike. I however, like a lot of people live in Suburbia and work in …


A Contingency Bag for Frequent Air Travelers, by T.R. in North Carolina

Your Bug Out bag, Go Bag, SHTF Bag, or whatever you call it contains similar items for each one of us. Some are kept at the door ready at a moment’s notice, some in the trunk of each vehicle all with the same purpose; Mitigation of Risk. As a project manager, Risk Management is a key component to successful project delivery, and one tool of risk mitigation is contingency resources. Understanding the risk and developing contingency to avoid, eliminate, adapt to or reduce the impact upon a project’s outcome. I say all this to share with you my recent experience …



Bug Out: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly–You Can Arrive Alive, by Semper Paro

I.  Introduction – Possible Scenarios.   Your automobile becomes inoperable for a period of time while traveling – it is extremely hot or extremely cold and hours to wait. A natural disaster occurs and you have to evacuate. Chaos occurs due to financial collapse or other major event causing civil unrest. An Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) or Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) caused by solar flare(s) renders your vehicle dead miles from home. Or, an EMP occurs as a result of a nuclear strike (with collateral fall-out to follow). Use your imagination…in reality, nothing is too far fetched. While these are listed in …


Transportation 101: Your Basic Bicycle, by Eliyahu in Israel

My transportation Plan B for when the big one hits is your basic bicycle. Think about it. No fuel costs (you have to fuel yourself in any case), sturdy, dependable, minimal maintenance, lasts a long time, goes anywhere, and its healthy for you. Not only that, but when you get all those maniac drivers off the roads, it can even be a pleasure. Sure, I fantasize about being able to brew my own biofuels, or having enough solar panels to charge a small electric runabout, but the reality is a sturdy two wheeler sitting in my garden shed. If the …


Letter Re: Your Two Foot Bugout

CPT Rawles, The author of the “Your Two Foot Bugout” article refers to through-hiking the Appalachian Trail as a simulation of a “shank’s mare” bugout. I’ve had similar thoughts in the past and would add these recommendations: in a situation where the fecal matter has impacted the rotating blades of the oscillating air moving device, do as the Laytons did in Patriots, i.e. go heavy on bullets and light on food. As the Golden Horde descends on your trail, you’ll want to defend whatever remains of your belongings and family. Also consider that thru-hikers count on resupply on average of …


Letter Re:Your Two Foot Bugout

The recent SurvivalBlog article titled “Your Two Foot Bugout” raises some interesting points. The author describes a plan to bugout on foot, using a baby stroller to carry essential gear. That’s reminiscent of the Pushcart Mormons who traveled from Iowa City to Salt Lake City in the mid 19th century. More than 250 of the immigrants died along the way, and any plan to evacuate the Phoenix area by foot would risk difficulty at least as severe. The author describes a plan to leave Phoenix by foot in order to avoid traffic gridlock. He plans to walk alongside a canal, …