Getting Ready For the Long Walk-Part 2, by Lone Wolf and Cub

Yesterday, I introduced my public service announcement directed especially for city dwellers and provided details for Stage 1, which is “facing your fears”. You must recognize God and your Christian duty to provide first for your family. You should also focus every resource toward purchasing farmable land in your name so that you and your family don’t become part of the Golden Horde, trying to get out of a city that resembles one filled with zombies in the Walking Dead.

Stage 2 The Preparation.

Begin With Prayer

Begin with a routine of morning and nightly prayers. Only by the Providence of God will you “be at the right place, with the right people, and at the right time”. Next, remember this is your private time with God Almighty. Also, be specific to address your needs and concerns. Finally, ask and you shall receive. God is listening.

Act upon your prayers. God watches over us as well. If you still need to find a retreat property then visualize your property in your mind. Include this in your daily prayers.

Assemble A Bug Out Bag

Once you have done that, you will need to assemble your bug out bag. Remember the majority of your supplies should be stored at your retreat. Therefore, this retreat should be one you live in all year round. Until that occurs, you will have to act “as if”.

Carp Porter For Transporting Children

If your retreat is a three hour drive away by motor vehicle, this will amounts to 42 hours of walking. Be prepared that you may have to walk at least partly or the entire distance to your retreat. You may be fit enough to accomplish this task in four to ten days, depending on terrain. However, a child is not. You will also need  to invest  in something called a carp porter. This is a product widely used in Great Britain for carp anglers to transport their gear across long distances and across all types of terrain.  It is essentially a heavy duty wheelbarrow that can be pushed and comes with a variety of attachments, such as bags and large water containers, and puncture resistant Kevlar tires. I suggest the Big Boy Barrow.

Water

Your bug out bag should also consist of a portable survival water filter capable of eliminating viruses. Survival filter based out of Canada makes a hand-held one suitable for those needs. This is also an item that should be considered indispensable. Furthermore, this will allow you to draw from open sources of water and dramatically reduce the amount of weight you have to carry. Your bug out cart should also consist of at least 46 liters, or 12 gallons, of water as weight permits to provide extra insurance, should you not be able to find an available water source.

Food and Supplements

A bottle of multivitamins and a bottle of table salt to provide for lost electrolytes should also be included in your backpack. Compact foods that are energy dense should be included. Peanut butter is ideal, supplemented with sports nutritional bars. You may need as much as  a minimum of five jars of peanut butter, plus 30 energy bars to complete a 42 hour journey.

Clothing

Clothing appropriate to the weather and for your journey should be chosen and set aside. This should include long pants and shirts of lightweight material in the summer and fleece and a toque (wool hat) for the fall and winter months if you happen to live in a northern climate. Wide brim hats should be worn be all members. I use DPC hat that has a wire brim. Rain pants and tops for every member of your family are a must, and gore-Tex is the preferred material.  Understand hypothermia can occur in a variety of conditions. The head is extremely vascular and is a major source of the body’s heat loss if not addressed.

Sleeping Bags and Tent

A heavy duty sleeping bag is also needed for every member of your family.  A company from the USA called Wiley makes the Ultima Thule, which would be your best solution for sleeping bags. An all-weather tent, preferably an army surplus “arctic squad tent”, should be part of your bug out gear as well. Bring a camouflage tarp just in case. Any “shoot me” colors should be avoided in any of your fabrics. That includes personal clothing, tents, and sleeping bags.

Proper Footwear

Proper footwear must be observed. One of the most frequent injuries I have encountered as a medic is blisters to the feet. This is generally due to improperly sized footwear that was worn creating undue friction over time and resulting in heat blisters. Size your footwear appropriately so that you can use what is called the two sock system, which minimizes friction. One of the other reasons for heat blisters to the feet is the high incidence of what a friend coined “baby feet”. That is the high instance of individuals whose feet are not accustomed to walking distances longer than five kilometers due to feet having no calluses or the body’s natural adaptations to walking great distances. Although there are many capable military members, I have personally had to provide medical coverage to obese personnel  who could not walk two kilometers without severe foot blisters occurring.

Do not be one of them. Train, and let your feet and body adapt. Know your footwear, whether it be $50 hiking boots or $400 dollar military specialty boots.

A Collapsible 22 Caliber Rifle

A collapsible 22 caliber rifle that is able to fit into a backpack should be included in your bug out gear, along with at least 1000 rounds of high velocity, non corrosive ammunition. The 22 caliber LR is capable of producing a similar wound pattern as the 5.56/.223 NATO round of the AR-15, at a range of 25 meters. Combine that with a high velocity hollow point round and this  creates a very lethal stopping force with limited recoil. A pistol should be carried concealed in a belt holster. A 45 caliber Glock 30 would be a serious deterrent to most 4-legged predators. However, a basic Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm will stop most 2-legged predators. As always, shot placement is key. Train.

At least 200 rounds should be taken in your bug out bag or as weight permits. Have a cleaning kit for your weapons as well as a bore snake for your rifle. Include six extra magazines for every gun and a small ammo can capable of holding your ammunition and cleaning supplies. Remember your tactical vest that can hold six AR15 magazines.

Societal collapse will mean current laws will become meaningless and there will be no one to uphold them. It has been said, “It is better to have a gun and not need it than need a gun and not have one.”

First Aid

A basic first aid kit should also be carried with you that includes a tourniquet, pressure dressing, such as an Olaes modular bandage, and Combat Gauze, which contains a quick clot solution. Although these may be expensive items, you must have at least two Olaes modular bandages and two Combat gauze packs in order to familiarize yourself with these products, and train with them. Disposable gloves and a portable barrier to allow for CPR should be brought if you need to dispense medical aid to strangers and prevent possible disease transmission. Remember also to bring band aids, butterfly strips, and an alcohol based sanitizer as well. Two emergency blankets should be present to prevent injured individuals from succumbing to hypothermia.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a further look into the final part of this series.

See Also:

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This has been part two 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.




18 Comments

  1. Interesting approach to this issue. I like the cart. Do you have a resource for purchase on this side of the pond?
    It’s collapsed and I’m walking pulling a cart with a child and gear. I’ll skip the tourniquet and just prolonging death. If it’s that bad a wound and conditions are that bad there ain’t gonna be surgical help with power and a blood supply.

    1. HI Mio,

      The Polymule a kickstarter project that was featured in SurvivalBlog several days ago would also be an excellent choice. They are promising delivery on early versions in March 2018.

      God Bless

    1. Hi Iggy,

      Thank you for your recommendation. As for firearms there exists a segment of the population that own firearms that would exploit a bad situation to justify it’s usage for wrong intentions. The weight of a collapsible 22 plus 1000 rounds would amount to less than 20 pounds.I would again say it’s better to have a gun and not need it than not have a gun when it’s needed.

      God bless,

  2. “….Your bug out cart should also consist of at least 46 liters, or 12 gallons, of water as weight permits…” WOW! that’s 96 pounds of water plus the weight of the cart….then layer on all the other food, equipment, gear and that cart could be 200lbs, or more…..too heavy to push cross country….so it’s down the highway where robbers await…best chance for survival: join with other families and form an armed column to get thru…a survivalist’s version of the wagon trains headed West in the 1850s.

    1. Good day Sir,

      Your solution is an interesting one and bears merit. As for a solution for weight reduction person can monitor urine output and make adjustments accordingly. The tent can be used to store the water as a creation of a FOB incase routes become impassable. A map that indicates bodies of water, a potable filter along with a compass and the Topo skills will ease the burden of carrying large loads.

      Thank you for your interest.

  3. Young children can do more than you think. They will happily choose not to and demand to be carried but do not under estimate them. In 1972 I hiked the Grand Canyon down the North Kaibab trail trail to the river and back. A young couple went with us and they took their 3 year old with them. Oh-oh I thought, this won’t go well. But it did. The parents kept the child positive and urged him on with treats and small goals, as in “walk to that point and you get six M&Ms”. I was surprised at how well the child did while the adults in the group endured the long walk back to the top. Next year I did it again and took my 5 year old son and he too did just fine again being bribed with M&M. Some 45 years later in 2014 we took our two grand daughters (four and six) to Zion and the Grand Canyon. We hiked for two weeks, all the difficult trails, long steep trails, day after day. They did fine, better than their grand parents.

  4. Another point. I totally agree on the feet being the most likely weak link. Break in your footwear and wear good socks. But over the years I have come to the surprising conclusion that the socks are more important than I thought. Don’t wear cotton socks. Get decent socks that maintain their shape and even are snug on your foot. This will prevent a lot of blisters just as good fitting shoes will prevent blisters. I also carry with me when hiking a pair of very light “liner” socks. These are intended to wear under the hiking socks and if you are on the trail and begin to have problems these socks can work miracles. I don’t wear them all the time simply because I don’t need them all the time. But they are small/compact so I slip a pair in my pocket and they are there if I need them.

    1. Good day Sir,

      Thank you for your response. On a personal note, my young cub is not quite ready for long journeys. I pray that he will meet the standards that your children does when he reaches the same ages.

      I appreciate your insight into footwear and socks, it is appreciated.

      God bless,

  5. There’s always the deer cart, a two-wheeled cart designed to haul roughly 300 pounds out of the woods. Available at sporting goods stores like Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops, etc. Some can even be hitched to a mountain bike.

  6. An AR-15 is a lot more flexible than a 22, especially past 25-50 yards. As for pistols, if a Glock 30 is the best choice for a 45, then why does the M&P edge out Glock if you decide to carry a 9mm?

    1. Good day Sir,

      Thank you for your response and recommendations. My personal recommendations to readers come from several viewpoints.

      The weight of carrying large amounts of 556Nato versus the equivalent amount of 22LR is quite substantial.

      Amunitions costs for a 9mm versus a 45 and for 22lr versus 556Nato should also be considered.

      I am a firm believer that shot placement is key, ultimately, that is among the reasons for my personal recommendations to readers.

      I hope this response has been satisfactory.

      Your response is appreciated.

      God bless

  7. If a three hour drive equals 180 miles, that is roughly 72 hours on foot or 18 hours on a bicycle, not counting breaks. In his circumstances, I would try to have a bike available with a back rig for the three year old.

    A few days ago, you had a bug out in foreign countries series where the one of the first things the writer did as a prep in each country was acquire and repair a bicycle.

  8. Comments on blisters. When I was in the army in Berlin in the early 70’s we did some marching on the moors in Scotland for 4 days. The first day was sunny while the rest it rained every day. Our feet were soaked constantly. I learned not to sleep next to the medics tent because he was woke up several time during the night to look at blisters. Poor guy didn’t get much sleep. On my blisters they hurt for about 2 hours then they went numb and didn’t hurt anymore for the rest of the day. This was with running 7 miles a day for 4 days a week with all combat gear with a M60 machine gun and on Friday it was 12 miles and throw in a close to 100 mile run of the Berlin Wall so my feet had a lot of conditioning. When I hunted in Namibia for elephants the guide would track with bushman trackers. We would walk for about 5 hours then break for about 2 hours mid day because the wind would swirl around giving us away to the elephant we were tracking. Then repeat until darkness or reaching the elephant. I could cover about 3 miles an hour pace however the guide was over 6 ft and was a very fast walker. We averaged about 10 hours a day walking at 4 miles an hour on relative flat ground. That’s 40 miles a day for 10 days straight talk about blisters on blisters and my boots were well broke in. Walking on a level surface vs. broken ground will cause your feet to wear in different spots that don’t normally rub. So train on virgin ground as much as possible. As for the guide he wore lite low cut vorrtekers shoes with no socks at all. It’s all in conditioning your feet. For care of my blisters I didn’t pop them. I would put a band aid on it and let my feet breath and elevate them whenever possible. Went through a lot of band aids so buy good ones that flex and feel like cloth not smooth plastic ones.

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