Category: G. O. O. D.

Letter Re: Prepping and Pregnancy

Good Morning Mr. Rawles, Last year my former boss–with whom we used to have a Bible study–and who is a former Marine, called me up on a Saturday morning, and inquired about a firearm that I would recommend for a semiautomatic sidearm that he and his wife would be able and to shoot comfortably. Without knowing much about what he had in mind, I told him about the top companies, and that a 9mm would be sufficient for his wife, as long as they used +P or +P+ defensive hollow-points with a heavy bullet weight, and if even this was …


Two Letters Re: Getting Myself Home to Bug Out

James, I want to disagree with anyone who might suggest that during a SHTF event that the highways and byways will suddenly be overcrowded with millions of sheeple trying to get home. I was on the road from work just after the second plane hit the second tower on 9/11. I was pretty convinced that this was an attack as soon as it happened. I had 20 miles in front of me on Highway 270 surrounding Saint Louis, and other highways and it was smooth sailing all the way. Most people were at work by then and while this was …


Getting Myself Home to Bug Out, by H. Billy

If the Schumer hits the fan (SHTF) and you’re at work miles away from your home and/or Bug Out Location (BOL) what will you do?  Have you planned your route to get home?  What if it’s not possible to use your route?  Do you have alternate routes?  Getting home to or to your BOL should a SHTF scenario arise will be trying, slow going and stressful enough unless you plan for it properly.  I’m not talking only about physically planning but mentally planning as well.  Giving yourself more options should you need them will hopefully lessen the stress and get …


Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse, by J.I.R.

I believe that in a severe crisis, most of the problems are going to have to be solved at the local level. State and federal government are too big and dependent on technology to survive a severe crisis once the grid drops and all services start to erode. Local governments, too, are ill prepared to assume this crushing responsibility, but they are much more resilient because their scope of control is smaller. Most of them have never even considered what they would do. This article is a discussion piece to stimulate thought on the subject of small community recovery after …


Survival Skills and Gear, Part 1: Bug Out Kits and Bugging Out, by E.F.

Introduction If the normal daily routine of our lives is suddenly and violently interrupted by events large and dangerous (such as major riots, natural disasters, or a a terrorist nuke) how prepared are we to “bug out?” If it’s time to leave, and leave immediately, are we ready? What do we take? Important papers? Guns and ammo? Food and water? Clothes? Camping gear? Baby diapers and sani-wipes? Family photos? Medicine? And where do we go? A friend’s farm? A wilderness cabin or campground?A small town? And what direction? Upwind? Downstream? How do we travel? By foot, or car, or bicycle? …


Letter Re: Advice on G.O.O.D. Bags

Sir: I have a bad back and knew I would have to have more than a small back pack. So I found a game cart on eBay that will haul up to 800 lbs. It has a steel frame and two hard rubber tires (no air) on each side, a canvas sling for packing items, and only cost around $100. I can pack a lot on it in waterproof bags, cover with a tarp and bungee it down and it works great. Goes right over rocks, logs, etc with just a little help. I can push it or pull it, …


Letter Re: Advice on G.O.O.D. Bags

Hi there, Do you have an opinion on what is the best G.O.O.D. bag? 1. Waterproof? 2. Backpack? 3. Multiple ways to carry it? 4. Wheels? Thanks and keep up the good work. – KJ JWR Replies: Unless you have a bad back, I’d recommend waterproof whitewater rafting “dry bags” in a backpack configuration, like this one. It is prudent to get them in earth tone colors–or at least spray paint them to tone them down. And, as mentioned before in SurvivalBlog, anyone with a bad back should consider a small wheeled cart or even a wheeled golfing bag.


Surreptitious Suburban Survival, by Suburban Survivor

I didn’t start out being a “prepper,” I was born into it…My father was a Command Sergeant Major in the US Army, we lived on many posts and in many cities, and had to travel at a moment’s notice. So, we were always prepared for the most part as a way of life. OPSEC was drilled into us at an early age, strangers asking questions about dad’s job, deployments, etc., were reported and we “army brats,” stuck together like glue on a hot summer day. Mom, kept the home front squared away, and we always had a nice place, warm …


Letter Re: Practice Night Hiking to Get Ready to Bug Out to Your Retreat

The following describes my recent “dry run” at bugging out on foot. I’ve been thinking that someday soon I will be in need of backpacking over to my group’s retreat. So I created a plan to make a dry run. I grabbed my basic day pack (a Camelbak hydration pack with the minimum goodies in it.) My load included, three liters of water, simple folding knife, space blanket, fire starter, single pen of bug stuff, a few Cliff bars, and speed loaders for my Ruger .357 Magnum. I also had spare batteries for my head lamp, and a bottle of …


Low Cost Preparedness, by J.E.

We, in the U.S.A., live on a knife edge.  Most of us take our life of ease (compared to the rest of the world) for granted, The ones who don’t are preppers and survivalists.  The television and radio give almost instant notification of the latest earthquake, hurricane, fire, or whatever and that makes many of us casual about disaster.  We get used to hearing about it so we ignore it beyond a “Gee that’s too bad!”  After all, disasters only happen to “the other guy.” Prepping for the individual and the way we go about it is different in almost …


Letter Re: An Arizona Traffic Jam Provides an Object Lesson

Hi Jim, On Wednesday (July 21st) I drove 90 miles down I-17 to Phoenix to have a enclosed shell “cap” installed on the bed of my pickup. “No big deal; the cap arrived early, and I should be to town and back by mid-afternoon….” …so I thought! The trip to town was easy, and the installation went smoothly. On the ride home I stopped for a gigantic Coca-Cola (one of my little habits). As I left the north side of the Phoenix metro area, an electronic highway sign said “Car fire – ten miles, I-17 North closed.” Okay … since …


Letter Re: Motorcycles as Bug-Out Vehicles

Sir: While they certainly have disadvantages, I think that motorcycles might be helpful in certain survival situations. Two-wheeled vehicles are small, maneuverable, and are very fuel efficient. They’re able to navigate highways and roads that are impassible to cars due to traffic jams and broken down vehicles. Given two or three feet of clearance, a motorcycle can get through and around a lot of obstacles. A single motorcycle can carry two people (a driver and an armed passenger?) and hold a significant amount of detachable luggage (think B.O.B. on steroids). My Suzuki gets 60-70 miles per gallon. Strap a full …


Letter Re: Equipping My G.O.O.D. Boat

James: I read your comments on The San Juan’s and Canadian Gulf Islands with interest. We have lived in the islands for 17 years now and have a fair amount of experience with the pro and con’s involved in being separated from the mainland. I liken it to being off grid in many ways. From the residents point of view we are dependent on the Washington State Ferry System for almost all of our consumer needs. This is fine as long as they are running, which during normal times is not a problem. However from the prepper/survivalists point of view, …


Equipping My G.O.O.D. Boat, by Doug W.

I live on a 42 foot boat and have no access to a land-based defensible position here in the northern part of Puget Sound. In order to prepare my wife and me for the coming collapse we have had to adapt and innovate our thinking a little bit. Because we live on the water between two major population centers we believe that when the stuff hits the fan people will not be viewing an escape by water as a viable alternative they will be looking for land with house and food so we may be under the radar for awhile …


Four Letters Re: My G.O.O.D. Vehicle

Hello James Wesley, I have a couple of questions for Matt M. My knowledge of diesel engines is limited. However, I am researching for my own G.O.O.D. vehicle as well, and following your advice on having vehicles with different fuel systems I am concentrating diesel light trucks for my requirement. Matt describes taking an “expedition” route instead of regular roads under certain conditions. He also states that with his extra fuel tank that he has a “2,000 mile range”. My questions to Matt are: Is the fuel range based on “expedition” conditions, or road conditions? Does diesel mileage vary with …