Getting Ready For the Long Walk-Part 1, by Lone Wolf and Cub

As a preface to this article, I will say that my family consists of my son and me. He is the light of my life. He is my inspiration for survival. I have few good friends that I consider loyal and trustworthy. They take preparation seriously, although I know many people who do not. The following is based on a hypothetical situation in which society breaks down very quickly and violently. To me, it is a real possibility, and I draw upon my experience of living among different societies, which galvanizes this belief. I am not a doom and gloomer; I’m simply a survivalist. I am also a realist. Call me Lone Wolf and Cub.

Retreat Location

My retreat property is in a remote location three hours driving time away. I am currently unable to live there year round because I work in an urban environment. If my vehicle breaks down for whatever reason and I cannot effectively repair it, then we will be forced to walk. There may be no one willing or able to drive us. Then, we will be forced to continue walking, until we arrive at our retreat. In the event of a total collapse, I hope our retreat does not have unwanted guests when we arrive and that its well-stocked stores aren’t raided. At this point, I can only pray that is not the case and does not occur until the time when conditions improve through my efforts.

My “Public Service Announcement” to Urban Dwellers

This article deals with a man and his three-year-old son on the way to their retreat. It’s just us– Lone Wolf and Cub. This article will also deal with why we have to leave the city in a total collapse situation. It will go into gear and supplies we will need and will even go so far as to when and why collapse will happen. If you do not agree with me on the very real possibility of total collapse, then when it does happen I hope you remember that I told you so. I will also go about the sheer drudgery of the new world somewhere in the remote rural regions of this country with my conscience clear, and I will be content. Consider the following a public service announcement.

The intention of this article is to get people who live in the city and who are not prepared motivated to get prepared for the worst case scenario— total societal collapse.

I would advise all readers to continue to read until the end of the article to reap the maximum benefit possible. I would urge you to provide this article to those living in an urban environment, especially those ill prepared. Those two factors make up the majority of our country’s population.

My Background

I am a currently serving army medic and was chosen the top candidate for my medical training by 19 other members in our 21 member graduating class. I have also received two letters of commendation by separate base surgeons for my actions performed above and beyond the call of duty. Additionally, I have conducted a presentation on winter survival preparedness for my unit as well as created a presentation on ballistic wound profiles that is available for military members. Facing life and death situations, I have been victorious and am a warrior. Elite professional soldiers have also called me such.

Civilization Collapse

If you are able to cope with a worst case scenario, than you will be capable of facing lesser situations as well. The reverse is not true. A complete grid down scenario will cause widespread disruption in food distribution. Grocery store shelves will be cleared out in a matter of hours. Most people will be hungry and angry. Within a matter of days, the world as we know it will collapse.

The author Dmitry Orlov describes this as, “Faith in the goodness of humanity is lost.” It is the final level of a book that describes the the five stages of collapse of human civilization.

You need to get rid of any self doubts about whether total collapse is possible or not. You must now realize that there exists a very real danger that total collapse is a clear and present danger; and it must be acted upon.

Stage 1: Facing Your Fears

Get right with God. Understand that If you have grown up in a western society, then you have been at least covertly raised a Christian.

Accept Christian Responsibility to Provide For Your Own Family First

Accept it. You have been raised by educators who have Christian value systems. You are a Christian. There is no denying this. By studying and learning from true Christians, you now will come to know what is regarded as the, “laws of  Tzedakah,” contained in the old testament. This means your primary responsibility is to provide for your immediate family. Once you become wealthier, you can provide for others. Only by accepting and living a truly Christian life, then you will become wealthier in all ways to your true potential. With this will come all the responsibilities that will entail. Understand this.

Get Prepared For Temporary Solitude

Get prepared for temporary solitude. Your family, and most that you consider friends, are in denial of possible total collapse. They should be avoided as much as possible. Maintain cordially with neighbors and coworkers that fit this profile. They suffer from a mental condition called “normalcy bias”. They believe tomorrow will continue just as today has. That is not the case. Be friendly but not overly so.

You need to isolate yourself from those afflicted. You should have no emotional attachment to these people. If you have stored food there, they will eventually know and may come begging or worse. Be hopeful that you will escape to a country environment. You will find others who believe in what you say. You will find a real sense of community and belonging. It will happen with your determination.

Pursue Farmable Land

Your primary concern in any future acquisitions from now on should be obtaining farmable land in your name. You may have limited experience or interest in becoming a farmer, but you will have to become one in order to survive and thrive. There is no way around this. Look towards getting at least four acres minimum of farmable land with a structure that has a drilled well and septic tank. Your town should also have a population of less than 2,000 people in order to be able to form a basis of civility once the world is in chaos.

Begin saving every amount of money towards the goal of farmable property in your name. Continue to stockpile food in moderate amounts as well as ammunition, as your budget may allow. Keep in mind that you must leave the urban environment as soon as possible.

Urban Environment Will Become Unlivable

When the end of the world as we know it occurs, the urban environment will quickly become unlivable. Sirens and gunshots will be a constant feature. Children living through this will be terrified, as the calm of the night will be replaced by screams and firearm discharge. Economic refugees will also begin to quickly attempt to leave this environment. Starting from the core of the city and spreading in concentric circles towards the suburbs and beyond, the hungry masses will be unleashed. The author James Wesley Rawles calls them “The Golden Horde.” Suburban areas will quickly see looters, motivated by the basic necessity of food for themselves and/or their family.

No amount of ammunition fired down range will prevent the onslaught of these hungry masses. In the city it will only be a matter of time before you are overrun. The huge number of firearms in circulation will mean many people will have guns but probably little food. This will create a very dangerous situation. Avoid the firefight, and escape to your country home as soon as possible, before grocery stores become empty.

Any fanciful ideas of setting up a type of neighborhood watch to defend your current urban area will quickly come unglued, once your neighbors realize they are ill prepared. They will eventually resort to a form of what I would call “hybrid cannibalism”, which is basically killing other people to satisfy their hunger. The downtown core of big cities will resemble a zombie apocalypse. People will be off their medication and walking aimlessly. They will be The Walking Dead.

Forced To Become One of the Golden Horde

If you are caught in the city when this goes down, you will be forced to follow The Road on foot with your family because roadways out of the city may become impassable for cars and trucks. Only armoured vehicles will be able to traverse these obstacles. The military will also be ill-equipped for food shortages, as there are no accounts to be given to family members. Resources will be depleted before a plan for martial law is to be put in place. Highways will be littered with crashed and broken down vehicles.

The masses will begin to march into the countryside. If you are one of them, you will be left to charity of strangers living in country dwellings. They also will not provide for you, as there will be thousands behind you hungry as well. If your child is dying from starvation, you may begin to consider behavior such as looting and stealing from others. You will have become part of “the Golden Horde”– the very people you are running from.

This is total collapse. You can avoid this disaster by preparing to prevent this very real possibility from becoming true.

See Also:

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This has been part one of a three part entry for Round 72 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value), and

Round 72 ends on September 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.




40 Comments

  1. You are NOT a Christian because you are taught by or live closely with Christians. By definition, you are a Christian by personally putting your faith and trust in the saving power of the blood, death and resurrection of the only Son of God, Jesus.

    1. While not necessarily a Christian, I believe the author implies that you have been at least somewhat infused with Christian values. This creates a foundational base from which to relate to your duties and obligations under Christian doctrine. It sets you up to the idea of your true responsibilities so to speak.

  2. How do you address 1+ year long deployments and or reassignments to other bases as an Army medic and having a retreat property, walking, children and the plan?
    Where’s cub at while your out?
    I’ll see if it’s addressed the next few days in part 2-3.

    1. Trending towards agreement here, though I’ll reserve judgement. But it seems as though the author may be trying too hard. My antenna went up at a pre-stocked retreat 3 hours away. What happens upon PCS’ing? I could not buy my retreat until I was out with all required active and inactive reserve time completed. Seems a bit fishy.

      1. HI Jason, thank you for your response. Every situation is unique. There are certain instances where you have to rely on prayer to put you in “the right place, at the right time, with the right people”. My own unique situation is that acquiring farmable land in a rural environment, plus maintaining a substantially downsized existance, on or near your base; is cheaper than maintaining a solely upper scale household near a base. I hope this response can be of some benefit.

        God bless

      1. Awesome. I was hoping you would detail more of if they had their own retreat, the care givers/family would get to use yours while taking care of cub or if he was stuck in urban areas etc.
        I’m retired military and had to make arrangements and plans for the times I was out though I didn’t have a home base retreat. I’m seriously interested in how that works with PCSing every 2-3 years, Mobilzations, months long training in professional development usually in other states or even countries and field ops or getting reassigned to places like Korea where you don’t get to take family for that year.

        1. Good day Sir,

          The power of prayer is the key solution to getting “in the right place, at the right time , with the right people”.

          That is the best solution I can address to service members facing the dilemma you have described, myself included.

          I hope this response is satisfactory.

          God bless,

    2. Hi Matt, thank you for your response. Suffice to say that author James Wesley, Rawles in his book Liberators details a character who is a service member caught in Afghanistan during a collapse. As for my cub arrangements are made to care for him to meet military obligations.

      God bless,

  3. I have to laugh at most of these doomsday scenarios because as soon as the balloon goes up, within a week martial law will be declared and roadblocks established to prevent people from exiting the cities, they will be corralled into camps or feeding stations and fed there while big brother decides who lives and who dies. Eventually the house to house food and ammo confiscations will happen, but I don’t foresee the wholesale zombification as predicted here, but the panic must be good for sales tho-

    1. Funny, you’ve described the environment present in my almost-complete book.

      While it’s fine to prepare for a total WROL destruction scenario, a collapse followed by martial law is FAR more likely.

      1. Gentlemen,
        Thank you for your responses. As for the scenario of creating a successful perimeter around a major city, I remain unconvinced. I look forward to novels that will address this.

        God bless,

      2. We only have to look to a country in South American that’s currently experiencing a collapse to see what will happen. The fact is the hordes will starve while the government and their protectors eat!!!

        1. Good day Sir,

          Venezuela has very different gun laws for its citizens than our country has, this will result in far different results in a collapse.

          Thank you for your response.

          God bless

  4. Just another poor soul living on his own strength and not by the Word of God.
    The total society collapse idea is not in Scripture. That is fiction.
    Mankind’s rule will end and its clearly detailed in Revelations.
    Have faith, fear God and be obedient

    1. Hi Skip, thanks for your response. Without offending you I will paraphrase 12:11, “those who works his land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies lack judgment”

      God bless to you and your family, again no disrespect is intended.

    2. Sorry Skip, but history is littered with the ruins of civilizations that collapsed. Ancient Egypt, Athens, Rome, the Byzantines, the Aztecs… I could go on and on.

      1. So true. I believe in the second coming of Christ in His time. But TEOTWAWKI has happened hundreds of times in various locales in the last two millennia and may happen again as many times before He comes.

  5. The government does not have the manpower to deploy martial law in our major cities! They would need every man just to protect key government assets.

    We could argue forever, if it could or could not happen, but if it did – we are on your own.

  6. US is mighty big for any semblance of martial law to be effective.
    As I travel the country and fly over the many areas I laugh at the government being able to control to hordes. Not enough bodies to go around.

    1. To the readers,

      The managing editor has reccomend to continue to respond to promote positive solutions for myself, and for the reader.

      For my child I have emphasized the importance of keeping your word. However I realize the importance of flexibility in dealing with matters of value.

      I hope I have demonstrated this to my son, and will continue to respond.

      God bless,

  7. You have reiterated what we know. A synopsis, a reminder. The key take away here, you realize the debt you owe your three year old, being human. Many will lose that focus. How one trains him to be quiet, like the quiet game, will be a key game to teach. How to teach him to be quiet when water and food are scarce, key. Tough world for a child.

    The new world, coming here, a world others have faced across the globe for decades. God bless

  8. The horde is quick. I’m about 15 miles to a town. Got looted twice within 24 hours of a hurricane or tropical storm. Got Cell411 loaded on my phone to get a posse on the scene , dogs, and arms.
    Ready for next time. And I won’t go into town to help them next time.

  9. I really do not understand the obsession with the belief that US society is going to crash and burn and yet have the hubris that I will be the one that will survive.

    And all I need is 3 years of stockpiled food, farm animals, ability to grow crops and enough high tech weapons to defend it.

    So that means one will inevitably kill People in desperate need, right.

    I do not see in Scripture that tells you to kill in order to keep your stuff.
    In fact, Scripture tells to help the poor, and our enemies.

    Anyway, I will just trust The Lord. He has never failed me.

    1. It’s a logical conclusion. God does not command that you “kill in order to keep your stuff.” But he DOES command you take care of your immediate family first, as described in the article (it’s kind of the whole point of the article). And he commands you not to steal. How do you feed your Sons and Daughters if you’re doling all you stocks out to the Sons and Daughters of Men who failed in this basic endeavor? It’s not my, nor the author’s responsibility to look after your own, but yours. And remember the vast majority of this “golden horde” do not cling to the same spiritual convictions described here. If you do not freely give, and often, they will take. Likely they will just take anyways. For me and my family, this is a chosen lifestyle. We WANT to live this way. Free of the need for charity from others, or the fatalistic attitude that we will simply lay down because, “meh…what can you do?” We have families that count on us to carry the day, regardless how bleak the forecast, and we refuse to let our children down in this responsibility.

      Good luck and Godspeed.

Comments are closed.