Category: G. O. O. D.

Two Letters Re: Motorcycle BOV

Jim: This video shows why motorcycles are the answer to rural mobility. The 11 minute video is of a road that was washed out by storms, apparently in Japan. Much of it is overgrown and vanishing and the motorcyclist has to dodge quite a few downed limbs. – InyoKern   James, I would like to thank Jeff H. for writing this article on the use of a motorcycle as a BOV as I was planning on doing the same in the near future.  He touched on quite a few very good topics.  But, from his submission, you can tell that …


Motorcycle BOV, by Jeff H.

I have what I would consider three different Bug Out Vehicles (BOVs): a 4WD pickup, a 4WD SUV and a motorcycle.  The bike of coarse could be placed in the back of the pickup and unloaded somewhere down the road as needed thus greatly extending the range of either individually.  As far as BOVs are concerned there are many advantages to using a motorcycle.  One is good fuel mileage. Another is the ability to go around snarled traffic and other obstacles.  Disadvantages are lack of carrying capacity and the personal protection of being in a big heavy vehicle. As far …


Bugging Out, But to Where?, by Paddy O.

I read a lot of material in SurvivalBlog and several other similar sites about methods and means of bugging out if you live in a city or other area where it would be undesirable to live during some kind of calamity.  After seeing so much about this idea of waiting until the SHTF, or some other event that would necessitate leaving the area in which you live, I feel the need to weigh in and give the position of the person who’s already living in the area to which many of the city dwellers are being encouraged to bug out …


Predator or Prey: The Single Parent Survival Guide, by Sarah B.

While the majority of single parents are women, men too can be found in this situation. Generally speaking, single women with children are usually on the lower end of the economic spectrum. Let’s face it, poorer young mothers (or fathers) with very young children need to learn survival skills as much as anyone else, and do not have the financial resources to buy all they need.  So what do you do if you are a single woman with a babe-in-arms and two toddlers and have no money? I can tell you what you can’t do, you can’t sit around and …


The Bugout Buggy, by H. in Bradenton, Florida

Those of us who have considered the terrible option of having to leave our homes, our main domicile and primary place of normalcy and safety due to civil unrest or worse have had to ask the question of, “What do I take with me?”. Eventually this question comes down taking that hike to …. wherever we feel is best, a better chance for survival environment. Why hike? Because any rational consideration of events that could occur all lead to fuel being no longer able to be obtained, roads blocked, normal travel impossible. Furthermore, the roads themselves may not be the …


Letter Re: Change Your Mind, Save Your Life

Jim, There seems to be a lot of debate on ‘should I head for the hills, post-SHTF‘. In my opinion, what most people miss is: Yes, it is a bad idea to head for the hills with no firmly established destination. Either move now or establish a place you are welcome to before the SHTF. I doubt a small town will be welcoming strangers in that situation. As for the fantasy of ‘living off the land’, you and 85 million other people? Ever try to bag a deer during hunting season with the limits in place today? – Ross JWR …


Change Your Mind, Save Your Life, by Marc P.

Apocalypse: en route or ongoing? I won’t argue whether something terrible will happen. It’s a flawed premise. Something terrible is already happening, just not where your computer is plugged in. It is not necessary for the entire planet to be threatened for a single region to be thrown into chaos. It wasn’t necessary for the whole state of Louisiana to be in peril before New Orleans turned medieval after Katrina. The mistake in logic occurs with the base assumption that a survival scenario is the end game. If that’s your assumption, there’s no need for extensive preparations. All you can …


Two Letters Re: Military Surplus G.O.O.D. Vehicles

James: I just read the SurvivalBlog post “Letter Re: Military Surplus G.O.O.D. Vehicles.” Here’s a web site for any of your readers in or near West Virginia looking for a Humvee, Deuce and a half or 5 ton trucks: Clark Trucks. With My Regards, – Aaron K.   Sir, Reference military surplus vehicles, I would like to recommend that for those seriously interested in something other than a “deuce” that there are several places here in the US where former Swiss or Austrian “Pinzguaers” are available.  These are very versatile, high ground clearance, 4×4 or 6×6 trucks.  They have 4-cylinder, …


Letter Re: Military Surplus G.O.O.D. Vehicles

Jim: I loved your book How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It. I was surprised when I read the G.O.O.D. vehicles section that you didn’t really mention old military vehicles as G.O.O.D vehicles. I was curious of your stand on this as I’m sure other readers are too. I recently purchased a 1-1/4 ton 1968 Kaiser Jeep M715 that had been converted to run on both gas and propane. It really isn’t a very complicated vehicle to work on the wiring is very basic. I believe this is a good retreat rig as the maintenance is …


Letter Re: Evacuating Quickly to Escape Wildfires

JWR: As a former California Department of Forestry (C.D.F. which is now Cal-Fire) wild land firefighter I would like to give some professional advice to persons living in wildfire prone urban interface locations.  The 100 foot clearance required is really a necessity in defending your retreat.  If infrastructure is still up, when told to evacuate, GET OUT ! From a roadway, I once had to listen to the screams of a woman who burned to death because she refused to evacuate her home.  It is a haunting memory. Have an advance plan for safety zones and escape routes.  A safety zone …


Letter Re: Evacuating Quickly to Escape Wildfires

James, There is much conversation about the desirability of moving to a rural retreat location.  Much has been written on your site about moving to moving to the American Redoubt.  But how many people really consider the drastic changes in their lifestyle when moving out of the city to a rural location?  Consider one drastic change:  fire protection.  People living in cities with asphalt streets, fire hydrants, professionally staffed fire stations, and minimal response times may not understand the change to living in a rural area with fire protection offered by volunteer departments.  I have lived in rural areas for …


Letter Re: Interim Retreat Caches

Jim: In How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It, you missed mentioning one of the great uses of “bypassed areas” — that of an en route cache.  There is no question but that it would be plain stupid for any family to wait to leave the big cities and urban areas until the very last moment when TSHTF, urban riots have broken out, and the freeways have become one big parking lot full of shooting and looting.  But many families will want to hang on in the cities as long as possible because of employment, family …


Letter Re: Key Questions For and About Your Children

James: In regards to M.D.M.’s article, I’d like to add something to his Question #4, There is no reason to smother a baby or toddler to keep them quite as in that M*A*S*H episode mentioned. I learned an old Indian trick years ago, when my kids were young and restless. All a mother needs to do is blow lightly in the child’s face when they start fussing and about to cry. This blowing lightly momentarily takes their breath away, and they stop fussing, and concentrate on breathing, It doesn’t take much blowing lightly in their face, and they soon drift off …


Letter Re: Those Looking For Leadership

Jim, My family and I greatly appreciate all the work you have put into Survival blog and the wealth of knowledge of your readers. I would like to share a situation that happened to me recently. My family has been preparing in some fashion since around Y2K and have really stepped up the pace in the last four years since we found SurvivalBlog. We are hearing God’s calling for us to move to the American Redoubt from behind enemy lines, okay he is no longer calling to us in the quiet voice more like yelling to us: GET TO SAFETY! …


Pickup Truck Campers as Bug Out Vehicles, by Wade on the Road

A few years ago, I found myself widowed after 36 years of marriage.   Seven months later, I buried my mother after she lost a long battle with colon cancer.   I was only 59 but my kids were gone and suddenly I had no family nearby and no one dependent on me.  It took a few months to mentally adjust, but during that time I began thinking about re-engaging my life and setting new goals….sort of a bucket list if you will.  Two of the things that were on that list were traveling around our country and retiring early if possible.  …