Hello, my friend and welcome back! While the best strategy is not to travel, if you don’t have too when it all falls apart, you may find yourself being in a situation where you must travel. Today were going to talk about the best strategies to adopt when being forced to travel after SHTF hits. Now grab a cup of coffee my friend and have a seat while we visit.
No matter what the disaster may be, traveling more than a couple of miles from a safe location shortly after it happens should only be considered if your bugging out or your site has become compromised. It’s not something you want to do if it can be avoided. You will be placing yourself and anyone with you in grave danger. Whether it is a h
So when will be the best time to move if you must, and how? While there are several schools of thought on this, it ultimately boils down to what the disaster is. Obviously, if the disaster is Hurricane or Earthquake , versus an EMP or a foreign invasion the rules will be different. I think the best way to approach this subject would be to break it down into different scenarios based on disaster types.
Hurricane, Earthquake or Tsunami
Traveling during any of these have some risk that others may not have such as downed power lines, broken gas lines, and fires just to name a few. In these types of disasters, You would need to travel during the day so as to avoid dangerous obstacles like downed power lines, tree limbs, newly developed standing water sections, as well as dead bodies lying in your path. In these situations, the Government will not be looking to harm you and will be overwhelmed as you look for assistance or medical help. That by no way means that you’re safe because, in any disaster, there will be looters and those who are looking to take advantage of any situation. Be careful who you ask for help. Do not try to move around during the night as it will be a lot more dangerous and acts of violence will be much more likely to happen.
Martial Law, Civil Unrest and Foreign Invasion
In each of these, the goal will be to avoid populated areas and people at all cost. If you are familiar with the landscape, then night time travel is the best time to move. While there will surely be people out, many will be home and asleep thus reducing your chances of running into others. Travel in small groups. Avoid large crowds, and be prepared to fight should the need arise. The best option is to simply flee if you can. They will not be there to help you and in most cases, they will be looking to take advantage of you or worse. Plan your route before you go, and don’t go out unarmed. If all you have is a baseball bat then take that; it is better than nothing and anyone who sees you with it will think twice about approaching you. Avoid everyone, be
EMP, Plague and Nuclear Attack
These are the top three Horsemen of the Apocalypse and for good reason, Each of these disasters could take years and even decades to overcome. They are not short term issues, and you should be prepared to face the worst of what mankind has to offer. People will be starving, have no medication, and be desperate. There will be no help coming from the government if the disaster is nation wide. Think Hurricane Katrina on steroids, and all over this great land of ours. You will be on your own and will be forced to do thing you would not normally do. In the case of an EMP, you could even see Cannibalism and worse. Do not travel if at all possible, as anyone who sees you would be a threat. There is an old saying that says only dead people travel of roads. In this case, it would be especially true. If you must travel on a road, do not do it during the day and avoid dirt roads where your foot prints could be followed. You will need night vision to be able to do it safely. Move slow and keep checking behind you to see if anyone is following you.
If you don’t have night vision, then you will pretty much be forced to travel during the day, so plan to avoid roads and travel the backcountry. There will no doubt be times when you will need to cross dirt roads, so be very carful and leave no tracks. It’s an old trick to smooth out roads and then come back later and check for tracks in the freshly graded road. Be sure yours are not there. Use a limb from an old tree to swish the tracks out so they can’t be seen.
Be sure to bring your own food and water and remember to leave no trash for others to find. Bring along a pack shovel and bury all of your trash and bodily excrement’s. Walk lightly and “Leave no trace”. While I could write a book on just this one subject, there is no room for it here. Use your own judgment, do some research and think twice before you do anything. Avoid all people, stick to your plan and only move at night. then just maybe you will survive one more day.
Well that’s it for today my friend and I hope you found this useful. I wish I could go into more detail, but there simply isn’t room. Take care and remember to stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared. God Bless America!
-Sarge-
It’s great to have you back! I am in agreement with your thoughts regarding travel during various situations, and would like to add some thoughts that most folks do not often consider or take seriously.
I am a huge proponent of taking care of our feet, and of being prepared on a daily basis for “unexpected” long walks. An extra pair (or two) of dry socks (not cotton or polyester!) and a pair of shoes designed for walking (not your everyday business or work shoes) should be an integral part of your Get Back Home or Bug Out prep. As a daily matter of course, a change of socks (and shoes if practical) mid-day will go a long way toward reducing stress and making you feel better as your day progresses. Sweaty feet are a recipe for blisters,knee, hip and back issues… none of which are good if you have to travel on foot for any distance.
Once again, Sarge, thanks for your service!
Thanks my friend. It’s really good to be back.