bug out blather

BUG OUT BLATHER


A kindly minion made the suggestion that I elaborate in depth on junk land, either as a series of articles or another book ( with a huge list of possible subjects ). Which of course I might just have to do if for no other reason that you are all crying poor and not doing much in the way of Amazon ordering ( bad minion! No biscuit!- thanks to a minion for giving me that one to rip off ). I do think another book would be nice, perhaps an updated companion piece frugal preps/cheap homesteading. But time she is not kind. Lacking financial motivation ( my books are the second least profitable aspect of my begging ), I tend to begrudge anymore time writing. Anyway, I bring up the above suggestion for a reason. I was thinking about an article on “why buy junk land” ( relax, I won’t subject you to that, yet ) and of course you get around to the argument as using it as a retreat rather than a homestead. Most folks are rightfully hesitant to move out to the semi-wilds when the job market sucks. It is bad enough to face the prospects of finding another job where you are, even with references and networks. At this point in the economic collapse, to move is to assure unemployment baring a miracle by Baby Jesus himself ( we were having a beer together the other day and he told me to pass on that your hair looks awful and hence he won’t be intervening ). Now, moving isn’t necessarily a bad strategy. You could use the unemployment as an excuse to declare bankruptcy, dump the house, perhaps the wife, go on Food Stamps and live off those as you learn to garden and raise chickens ( for under two grand you could buy a lot in east Texas and spend most of your time fishing ). Use the twilight of the Welfare Oil State to your advantage ( Wos, kind of a play on words with Oz, or Australia. Get it? ). Alas, if you like your wife, most likely she won’t go along with this primitive strategy ( hell, even my wife would most likely take off if I didn’t provide her regular booze and cigarettes, and she is a much better Prepper Bitch than your wife ). So understandably that leaves you with no other option than a retreat.
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As you should all know by now, I hate the bugging out strategy. You should live at the retreat, and since I’ve pointed out how to do so very cheaply, this should be an option open to all. But see the above. Even if economically feasible, it is a route almost no one wants to take. Most of us, and I include myself, would rather stay married and live in a less than perfect location. I could be living in an even more remote location, and live on almost nothing, but I doubt the wife would stay ( or if she stayed, I wouldn’t want to put up with her attitude she developed ). So a bug out option isn’t as retarded as I make it out to be, looking at it realistically. Oh, it is still a very bad choice, the variables almost assure your death. But realistically it is probably what most folks will do. We’ll cover a frugal approach, but as my final word on its advisability, I’ll just say it should, in a perfect world, be a fail safe back up plan rather than a primary strategy. Your basic plan is CCC. Creep out, cached camping. You bike out off road and go to a innocuous camping spot. It doesn’t necessarily have to be your own land, but I would highly recommend it. We can talk until we are blue in the face about possible future calamities, and many might indeed happen, but the one happening now, and for the last three years, is the economic collapse. It is already here and if you ignore it hoping for a sudden collapse that eliminates the bankers and the property tax collectors, you are setting yourself up for failure. The bankers and the politicians have been kicking the can down the road for a very long time. They are doing a splendid job of it. But eventually the road ends. If you try to time that, you will most likely fail. Plan on economic collapse, which means eventually you will be homeless long before the government collapses. Junk land is your ultimate insurance against homelessness.

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Get yourself a piece of land. Cache your food supply. And other vital equipment. The olde timey French trapper dudes were the ones, I believe, who introduced the cache concept. Hundreds to thousands of miles from town, hostile Injuns about, caching was life or death. Sound like your future? Caching eliminates expensive buildings and the prospect of theft ( obviously, bury in secret ). Construct a shelter, but one that won’t be broken into. Such as a lean-to or a outdoor roof on poles ( I’ll feel stupid when I hear the name but I’m having a brain fart on it. Most likely because these damn people around here don’t respect Jim Time and I got some fool yammering in my ear as they watch me hunched over the keyboard typing. Hello? This is your friggin clue calling ). Bury the tarps or bug screening or canvas you will use later to finish the shelter. The point is to disguise your intentions. For all the world to see, a weekend camping spot. Nothing to steal here ( just in case, I’d bury a hatchet or whatnot if they do destroy the shelter and you need another one ). As to bugging out, get a bike. A single speed, and not from a China Mart. A single speed ( coaster brake, like you had as a kid ) because nothing breaks on it except the chain and eventually the ball bearings. The spokes can break, which on a geared bike cause wheel wobble against brake pads. If a single speed gets wheel wobble, you don’t have to loosen up the brakes to peddle. Carry a spare fitted chain, and you are almost guaranteed to make it there mechanically. Your tires of course should be the solid tires.

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Around roadblocks and not running out of gas, the bike is what you need as a BOV. Have a front and rear basket. You will need to carry some water, a route by water to replenish ( have a filter ), and a pack full of peanut butter and beef jerky. Calorie dense foods. Remember, it is fifty calories a mile to peddle. Strap on a pistol for protection with a decent amount of ammunition. Bare bones anything else such as sleeping gear or what not. Weight takes calories to haul, and you can only travel as far as your food supply. You might never arrive, but if leaving is better than staying, it is better odds. Good luck.

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